Mutation
by Authoress24
Summary: Her eyes snap open. The cerulean orbs scan the room. She inhales - fully; all on her own. And it takes her a moment to realize that she's awake again. Her eyes fall shut, and she exhales - fully; all on her own. And it takes her a few moments to fully realize that she's alive again.
1. Chapter One

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot._

_**Mutation**_

* * *

_"I present to you… Android 15!"_

* * *

Her eyes snap open.

The cerulean orbs scan the room. The newly awaken android looks over her brother and sister, a stoic and unimpressed expression slain over her quite attractive features.

She inhales – fully; all on her own. And it takes her a moment to realize she's awake again. Her eyes fall shut, her eyelids taking over. And she exhales – fully; all on her own. And it takes her a few moments to realize that she's _alive_ again.

Android 15 steps out of the capsule. Ignoring her siblings, she turns to a near by mirror and inspects herself from head to toe. She was an odd android. Her hair grew, the disheveled, curly tresses spiraling down thickly unto her shoulders and back. Her eyes are round and childish, yet they only add to her sophistication. Her eyelashes are thick, and long. Her skin is pure, soft porcelain, and her cheeks are rosy red.

A sleeveless, yellow shirt adorns her chest, a peak of her pink, lacy bra exposed to those paying attention. The shirt reaches two inches above her belly button. Across her breasts, the word _**FIGHT**_ was written in bold and white letters.

Hanging low on, and clinging tight to, her hips were white shorts, that ended a few centimeters before the middle of her thighs.

Black ankle boots fitted to her feet perfectly. She noticed Gero had added a golden chain to either of her ankles. One black, fingerless glove is pushed onto her right hand.

Her legs are long. Her thighs slide into her hips perfectly. Her hips are reasonably thick, sliding into her abdomen. Her waist is small, but not too small. Her breasts are perky and round - possibly a C-D cup.

Running a hand through her thick, ebony locks she catches sight of a couple of words written in cursive with black ink:

_**Videl**** Satan**._

Was that her name outside of "Android 15"?

Instead of sending Dr. Gero a questioning glance, 15 rescans the body she hadn't seen in years, maybe decades.

_It was no wonder the doctor prizes me greatly_, 15 thinks while stretching her stiff limbs.

She was the only successful, non-self destructing, _living, growing_ android.

* * *

"Don't do that 18! He's very dangerous! Not because he's rebellious – he's quite obedient – he's very unstable! His instability could destroy us all!"

Android 15 rolls her eyes and hops onto the capsule, a playful smirk gracing her features. "Let 'em out." She calls over to 18 before hopping off. 18 struts over to the simulator and leans against it, "C'mon old man, loosen up. We just… wanna see… 16." Her fingers creep closer and closer to the button that would "lead to their destruction", apparently.

* * *

When the door, bursts open, - due to Vegeta's own blast - Vegeta himself doesn't know what to make of the situation. Nor does Trunks. Nor does Piccolo. Nor does Tien. Nor does Krillin.

The Z Fighters only watch in shock and terror as the scene unfolds before them.

* * *

Out of pure irritation, Android 15's foot lifts from the floor and effortlessly slices through Gero's neck.

The decapitated body and severed head fall to the floor. The only difference is that the head is still buzzing with intelligence and life. Android 15 concludes it's due to the chip lodged tight into his brain.

"Android 18…!"

The blood splatters all over the marble floor. And to her dismay, a bit flushes across her cheeks. Sighing in annoyance, 15 turns to her sister. 18 raises a brow, her lips twisting into an expectant smirk.

"Wake up 16." The raven-haired girl orders and albeit pressing the button, 18 rolls her eyes.

"Bossy much?"

* * *

"Y-you just…" Krillin mumbles, shock and horror bubbling up in the pit of his stomach.

"You just slaughtered your own creator…!" The midget screams, successfully gaining the attention of 15 as 17 and 18 work on getting 16 up to speed.

15 snorts, turning around to face her siblings, "You would've done it, had I not." She shrugs. "Besides, I don't want, nor need, your opinion."

"Well that's too bad… Because you're gonna get it!"

The young female android turns sharply, her hellfire glare trained distinctly on the short, bald man whom was now cowering in fear.

"You are a beast!" He shouts, though himself and his voice tremble. "You and the rest of your kind are blood thirsty beasts!"

"You don't know a thing." 15 says, her eyes darker than night, fiercer than fire, yet colder than ice. Her bangs hover, giving her face the shadow that only adds to the hellfire in her eyes.

The dark, fierce, and cold cerulean gems brew up a storm filled with lightning, thunder, and anger. She glares mercilessly down at the short, bald man. – Her analyzers identify him as Krillin, part of the Z Fighters. – Her lips are pulled into a scowl.

"You have no right to judge us!" Her voice trembles, deep and slaughtered with disdain and despair.

Staring stoically at the intruders, none of her siblings say a word. The Z Fighters are quiet too, however, they're staring at her. All of them – Krillin, Piccolo, Tien, Vegeta, and Trunks. Whether it be a glance of terror, or a glare of despise, they were staring at her.

* * *

Krillin isn't the only one trembling.

But he's the only one trembling harshly, relentlessly.

And when he tries his hardest to stop, he does. But not even seconds later, a painful and powerful shudder claws up and down his spine. Thus, rendering his best efforts, utterly useless.

And it pains him even more to know that this, this, this _machine_, was able to shake him down to core and deeper.

"So how _dare_ you?!" Her voice booms, the raw rage tainting it almost manly.

"Do you see what that man has done to me?!"

The Z Fighters actually take the time to listen.

"That man took everything away from me – away from us!" 15 gestures to 17, 18, and lastly, herself.

"He took away our freedom! Our independence! He took away our humanity! He deserved worse than I what I mercifully grace him off with!"

She's screaming, yet her eyes are dead and cold.

Her eyes becomes softer, and her face becomes readable, and she is vulnerable, "He took away my chance at love."

And at this point, they all – even 16, 17, and 18 – feel just how _broken_ she sounds – just how broken she _is_. And they take into account just how _young _she is.

Krillin concludes that when 15 was turned into an android, she couldn't have been any older than Gohan.

"He took our families away from us…"

18 rests a hand on 15's shoulder.

"Look kid," the blonde starts, "Sorry to interrupt you, but they don't want a bullshit sob story." Vegeta grunts in agreement. "They want a bloodbath."

"No," 17 says, to Vegeta's dismay. "Let her continue." A playful smile tugs at his lips. "Maybe she can rant them into oblivion."

15's glare doesn't even waver.

"He turned us into monsters." She says softly, like it's just now beginning to dawn on her. That itself shuts the laughing androids up real quick.

Within seconds, her lips are pulled into a twisted smile, while her eyes swirl with power and certainty. Her head tilts, and the blood has such an effect, that Krillin's glad as fuck when her glare shifts from him to Vegeta. And the bald midget swear even Vegeta shifts uncomfortably under it.

16, 17, and 18 don't even feel offended – don't even snort; don't even flinch. Because they knew what they were. They accepted their titles as monsters ages ago.

The androids were side effects.

They were side effects of an evolutionary process that cared little for people's individual lives.

They were the successful experiments in mechanical mutation.

They are monsters.

Terrifying, havoc-wreaking, murderous monsters.

But it wasn't their fault.

But that didn't stop the saiyan – Vegeta, was it? – from attempting to strike her.

So it was only natural for her to defend herself, right?

* * *

**A/N:** _So, um... yeah. I got this idea a few mornings ago at like, 3 - 4 ish while watching the Android/Cell Saga of DBZK, and decided to try it out... So... Yes? No? Hate? Love? If you could, I'd really appreciate it if you let me know. The "side effects" lines rights go to John Green, by the way - all I did was replace cancer patients with androids._


	2. Chapter Two

_I left my responses to your reviews below, after the chapter. By the way, I was wondering if I should change the title. I was listening to Radioactive by Imagine Dragons and I was wondering if I should change the title to "Radioactive" or "Radioactive Mutation". Whaddya think?_

_**Chapter Two**_

* * *

17 reaches out and grabs 15 by the first thing he can – her neck. He wraps an arm around her neck loosely, and before Vegeta's perfectly executed punch can hit her, 17 drags 15 around himself, hugging her into his side, and taking her out of the saiyan's line of fist.

Still in the after pose, Vegeta glares at 17 out of the corners of his eyes. Everyone is silent, but 17 is intelligent enough to understand the unspoken question. Henceforth, he clears his throat, "Ahem:"

"I understand that you Z Fighters – or whatever you call yourselves – follow the warrior code, yes?" No one responds; 17 takes the silence as a yes. "Great – however," his baby blue eyes turn cold, and his lips twist into a smirk. "If any of you," his baby blues rack along the line of rigid Z Fighters.

"Choose the foolish mistake to intervene," his eyes narrow, and his lips fall into a straight line. "18 and I _will _take you down." His lips say one thing but his eyes say another. He was willing them to intervene – demanding them too. He wanted his own fight, even if it was at her expense.

15 snorts. She thought he was just acting like a real nii-chan. But androids weren't that compassionate, were they? Her lips part as she begins to protest – she can take on all of those Z Fighters, at the same time, all on her own – but 17 beats her to it. "Understand? Good." And then she's flying off. It takes her a moment to realize that she's flying off into the air. 17 must've cast her off to the skies.

The female noirette tumbles through the air. The wind fresh on her face, blowing fiercely through her entangled, black locks. She closes her eyes and savors the feeling.

Only when the whistle of a barely dodged energy blast sails past her ears, does 15 come back to her senses.

The android tumbles forward one last time, before she stills herself out completely. She floats in the air, glaring down at the smirking saiyan. She scowls as she realizes he's demanding her to make the next move.

She vanishes into thin air, before reappearing. Her fist collides with Vegeta's jaw. It's so silent, that she can hear the tiny crack of the shattering bone.

15's a bit surprised when Vegeta falls to the ground. She hadn't used _that_ much force. The raven stares down at him, still airborne. Their expressions have exchanged: The prince is scowling and the android is smirking.

She floats over him slowly, arrogance dancing in her cerulean gems. She thinks she's won.

But that was before Vegeta's boot clad foot crashes into 15's stomach.

Spit flies from her lips. The pain renders her paralyzed. She can't breathe properly. Then, before she knows it, she's slammed into the ground and Vegeta's hovering over her. This time blood flies from her lips. Oxygen isn't even an option now.

Haughtily, Vegeta turns around. "I knew you androids were nothing but scrap metal and wires."

17 only smirks.

Vegeta, this time, is taken by surprise when 15's knee slams into the base of his spine. The force bends him backwards. Pain shoots through his body faster than Sonic the Hedgehog and stronger than the Hulk. Then he's slammed into the ground just as he did her. He curls into a heap of pain and oblivion, just as she did.

But the android doesn't stop here: Android 15 grips Vegeta by the ankle, and with an intense scowl, she swings him off towards the sky. Vegeta, however, instead of colliding with air, cloud, and sky, collides with a boulder; his body embeds into the rock and debris fills the air.

Once the debris settles down, the androids and Z Fighters can see Vegeta attempt to push himself out of the rock. When he succeeds, he only falls unceremoniously and ungracefully to the rock hundreds of feet below. Luckily, he lands on his hands and knees. Hunched over, he pants heavily.

Behind him, the excess rock crumbles to dust. The female android stands over him, glaring down at him. Her eyes are cold and calculating whilst her lips are pulled into a scowl. Vegeta thinks that even when she looks like this, she's still not unattractive.

And then he decides that she's knocked some screws loose in his head.

"It was stupid of you to obliterate the hide out." Android 15 says, recalling upon the earlier mistake when they had to move locations. Trunks knows she's referring to himself, though her cerulean eyes are trained explicitly on Vegeta's struggling form.

"There, I would've been careful – wouldn't've wanted to wake up any unknown, secret androids, right? Four itself is a crowd, if you ask me." 15 relaxes slightly and waves 16, 17, and 18 off dismissively.

"I would've been evasive and defensive, rather straightforward and offensive."

"It would've helped your father a whole lot. Well – considering he's a heap of nothing when I'm not even giving it my all,"

Vegeta comes to and grunts in disagreement. She _had_ to be giving it everything she had. "Android!" The android simply ignores him, "Maybe not a whole lot." The noirette smirks and backs away a bit. Once there's a fair amount of distance between them, 15 curls her index finger in a "come hither" gesture.

Not one to deny any pretty woman of their desires, Vegeta launches at her with a battle cry.

He throws a sloppy punch. She dodges so easily it's ridiculous – amusing, even. Soon enough, their blow for blow. Block for block. Punch for punch. Fist for fist. Kick for kick. And it seems like their strength is equal. But to his crushing realization, Vegeta realizes she's still holding out on him. He doesn't know how he knows – he just does. And it demolishes his pride completely because he's losing a devastating amount of energy for every second their battle goes on.

_Look at 'im go!_ Trunks thinks in awe and pride, along with a little bit of regret.

_To think, my father could actually hold his own against the androids! And all this time, I only doubted him – well, he is the saiyan prince, after all._

In the back of his mind, he thought about his father's title. Because if _anything_, Vegeta's more of a king than a prince. So did that mean Trunks himself was the half-blooded prince?

"He's losing." Piccolo announces, interrupting the boy's train of thought. His eyes follow as they continue on vanishing and reappearing, going blow for blow at each other. "That android's going to obliterate him." The namekian frowns even deeper. "It may not seem like it, but it's happening – gradually, yes. But anyone paying attention can tell:" They all feel fear and nausea welling up inside them.

"She's wearing him into the ground."

* * *

Their battle comes to a stop when 15's left, boot-clad foot slams against Vegeta's broken jaw, knocking a tooth loose. His head jerks to the side and he spits out the useless tooth. Her right foot rises to slam into his face but he catches it in time. He clutches her ankle tightly in his grasp. He thinks he even hears a small little snap, but doesn't dwell.

Slowly, he turns his head to her. And Android 15 is almost impressed. The hellfire in the saiyan prince's eyes is enough to burn Hell into ashes – this, she's sure of. His grip tightens, and she cries out softly. One of her eyes forces itself shut so she can bear the pain a bit easier. She knows this causes him to grow cocky, and she knows she has her opening.

"And your skills are supposedly "superior" to mine, Prince of the Saiyans, the strongest race to ever live? Ha! Don't make me life! You," Vegeta smirks. "Are nothing but a bunch of glued pieces of scrap metal and wiring!"

Taking a risk, Android 15 carefully slides her uncaptured foot along the hot rock. Before Vegeta can comprehend she's making the next move, the android swings her foot up.

This time, she's far too fast for him to even see – let alone, dodge.

Her foot slams into his temple. The force of the blow hard enough to give him a major concussion – possibly even knock him brain dead.

Her body twists through the air. Upside down, she extends her arms. Her finger tips brush against the earth. She sends the dirt flying up as she swerves herself, feet first, to the ground. She lands, her hands on her hips. She's standing straight up, her head turned to the side. Her unruly, raven locks fly everywhere, yet frame her face perfectly.

15 turns her head forward to catch sight of Vegeta. When she does, his face is contorted into an expression of such pain and confusion, she can't help the laugh that flows through her lips. And as much as Krillin and Trunks hate to admit it, that laugh of hers was beautiful.

The female walks over to the whimpering and kneeling Vegeta. She bends at the waist to his level, the tips of her hair skirt across his cheek.

She sends a kick to his arm, bending it backward completely. The satisfying crack of his bones, followed by his screams of agony, is blissful music to her ears. He thrusts his uninjured hand up quickly and is about to send a ki blast – namely a Big Bang Attack – her way, but she saw this before he could even process the idea and kicks his other arm too, bending it backward even further so.

In a mockingly, condescending voice, she mumbles breathily into his ear. The twisted smirk that graces her features promises eons of tears, pain, agony, hurt, loss, fire, and blood.

"_Of course_, you're superior to me Veggie."

She places her foot on top of the bended arm. When she applies pressure to her foot, Vegeta's pathetic cry of agony, causes that time stopping laugh of hers to ring again.

"Father!" Trunks dives in to save the day – albeit, he doesn't save the day. The lavender half-blood only gets tossed carelessly into the night, right along with his father.

Sword clutched tight in hand, Trunks swoops in and attempts to… Well, she doesn't know what he attempts to do because she knows that he knows that that sword of his won't even scratch her. In fact, when he dares to raise it against her, her wrist shatters the thing into a billion of steel pieces.

While Trunks stands, trembling in fear, she glares fiercely at him. Had he not heeded the warning 17 gave. Now, he brother got to exploit he distress. She didn't want that – she didn't want him to win. So because she's closer, she shows him – them, if 18 doubts her too – that he shouldn't underestimate her power.

Android 15 roundhouses Trunks. Her fingertips graze the hot, dry rock once more. The heel of her foot shatters his jaw, and it sends the lavender half-blood straight into the wall of rock, the Z Fighters were residing on top of.

"Trunks!" Piccolo shouts, diving in to defend him. Tien follows, just inches away from the namekian.

15 downs the namekian and super human with one punch each, sending them flying into rock – whether it be into wall or ground.

With her peripheral vision, she can see Trunks heading for her. She grabs Vegeta's ankle and swings him right into Trunks. The father collides with his son, sending them both into the wall Trunks was once embedded in.

She wipes the nonexistent bead of sweat from her brow like _whew _and cocks a hip. A few strands of hair fall into her face as she raises a brow. "That all ya' got boys?" She can't help the wide smile that graces her features. One might think she was smiling at an abandoned bunny, preparing to take it home.

Krillin trembles in the wake of her 15's power.

The bald midget comes to the conclusion that Android 15 is not a monster.

Oh Kami, no.

"Monster" is too nice of a title.

Android 15 is a demon – a demon goddess, perhaps.

"Any takers?" Her gaze flies to the trembling, terrified Krillin who jumps in surprise.

After a few seconds of silence she has her answer. "Alright then."

She walks back over to her siblings, the Z Fighters sprawled in several different places; slain behind her.

To make things easier, she floats up slowly. When 15's standing beside her sister, 17 advances on Krillin. His lips purse as he prepares to talk but Krillin beats him to it.

"I-I'm not goin' down w-withoutta fight!" The midget screams bravely, but Android 17 only laughs – this entire encounter was extremely amusing. The words flow from his lips like honey. "I don't wanna fight you. I just wanna give you some advice:"

Krillin nods silently, ushering him to go on.

"You should really give your friends those beans – whaddya call 'em? Senzu beans, or whatever? If you plan to "destroy us" you're gonna need 'em." 17 saunters back over to his siblings. Krillin thinks about going after them, but common sense, fear, and awe overrides his Nervous System.

Krillin, does however, catch the gaze of 18 as she and the other androids conceive a plan. He basks in the beauty of her sky blue gems. He finds himself wondering if the other one's – the one with the jet black hair and the orange scarf – her boyfriend.

"We should terrorize the city." That tears Krillin's attention away from 18. "That way I get to have fun," 17 points to himself, smirking. "You two get to go shopping," the android gestures to the sisters. "And we're practically screaming for Goku's attention, right?" They all take in 17's suggestion before 15 finally nods, crossing her arms. "I need new clothes anyway." 17 gazes hopefully over at 18. "I can help you pick out some new ones and get some more stuff for myself." 17 smirks.

"You in 16?" And the full-wired android nods. "If it helps us complete the mission."

"Wait! What?!" The midget screams. "Y-You can't just… You can't just do that!" 15 simply snorts. She smirks, her eyes sharp as a knife.

"Watch us."

_Ohhhhhhhhh yeahh_, Krillin finalizes, _Android 15 is _definitely_ the goddess of demons._

"Wait! Wait!" He shouts again as they prepare to take off. "Why are you doing this?! Why are you after Goku?! What did he do to you?! Gero's gone now! He can't deactivate you if you don't follow his orders!"

17 joins in on the smirking. "This has got nothing to do with Gero." 18 flips her bangs to the side, capturing Krillin's full and utter attention once again.

"Th-then… Why're you…" 18 heaves a sigh at the super human's ignorance, but allows 17 to answer the unfinished question.

"Because this is a game."

Krillin reels back in shock.

"A – a… _Game_…?"

15 nods, "A sick, twisted, prolonged game."

"How long does it go on?"

"Until we want it to end." 18 says, her voice sweet as nectar and thick as honey to Krillin. But in reality it was quite the contrary.

When silence falls, the androids prepare to take off again.

"Hold on!"

18 rolls her eyes and scoffs impatiently, "What it is, _now_?" She whines. Her glare clashes with Krillin's glance, and his entire face goes bloody red.

"S-Suppose I asked you to end this little game of yours… Would you?" There's optimism in his voice – foolish optimism. 15 has to stop herself from laughing.

16 answers this question. "Request: denied." His voice is cold, and withholding finality. "The mission is to defeat Goku. Henceforth, we must defeat Goku." 15 smirks in agreement, before giving Krillin the two finger salute.

15, 16, and 17 blast off into the sky, heading for a more populated area.

"Seeya'." 18 giggles, giving Krillin a quick wink, before catching up with the rest.

The android unknowingly leaves Krillin the wake of her cuteness, his heart thundering against his chest and his face redder than blood.

That android would be the death of him…

If her sister wasn't first.

* * *

**brad1990: **This was undoubtedly a pain in the ass, but it's here! Thank you so much for R&Ring!

**thedarkpokemaster: **You bothered the shit out of me, y'know! When you had said, "how powerful she is as an android" I had already written this chapter down, but you made me consider rewriting the fight seen. Like, I re-watched the DBZK episode where Vegeta fights 18 and I realized that it wasn't as one sided as I had written it out to be. So I had to change it. And personally, _now_ I approve of it, but it could be better, ne'?

**NatNicole: **I was just in bed, lying there, watching DBZK until a summary just popped into my head, and I had decided to write it in small, little notes with my S Notes on my phone. By the way, this review made me feel _a lot_ better about the first chapter. _Thank you_.

**dcp1992: **Thank you! After this chapter I was panicking like: _How the fuck am I gonna do this?!_ So I decided to kind of draw my inspiration from the fight in DBZK (18 vs. Veggie) but to make 15 absolutely ruthless. And yeah, I wanted to see a fanfic like this because I was utterly positive somebody had thought of it before, but no one had done it. I know I'm treading dangerous waters because this is something that people probably have thought of but have no clue how to write down so I have this feeling that a lot of people's hopes are at my finger tips.

**anon:** Thank you! I was continuously thinking about what to call the android version of Videl. And I thought 15 was taken but I couldn't remember. And now, I'm not sure what else to call her. If you have any suggestions then let me know, please.

**princessariellover876: **Thanks. Thank you again for R&Ring.

**applefanfic:** OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH. You are ma' first reviewer and I love your review. (I hope you review again.) And don't worry, I'd say Vegeta got his ass kicked quite a bit in this chapter, don't cha think?


	3. Chapter Three

_I got this idea just a little bit after I typed up Chapter Two. Once again, my responses to your reviews are left at the bottom, after the chapter. The song used in this chapter is _Falling _by The Civil War. By the way, I'm gonna start calling my reviewers "mutations" so be prepared for future reference!_

**_Chapter Three_**

* * *

Gohan flies through the sky.

The wind feels refreshing and cold against his face.

The demisaiyan has his arms wrapped securely around Bulma's abdomen. Wrapped up tight in her arms is the bundle of joy named, "Trunks".

And everything is gentle, as well as quiet. The breeze is lulling. The birds are singing. (He vaguely recognizes it as the tune from that one movie – what is it called again? The Hunger Games?) The flowers are swaying. The animals are playing. Nature is up most beautiful. And everything is almost perfect.

"Can we stop for a second? I have _got_ to take a _serious_ dump."

But unfortunately, "almost" does not count.

Like how Gohan _almost_ forgot that he was practically giving Yajirobee a flying piggyback ride – he still is too.

Following the request is a long string of skunk gas repelling farts.

Gohan decides it's better if Trunks doesn't have to endure the lung destroying stench.

"Yeah," Bulma agrees, not realizing Gohan was already heading for ground. "I need to change Trunks' diaper." Gohan's eyes flicker from the baby, to the big blue bag hanging from the bluenette's shoulder, and then back to the skies again.

Instead of pointing out that they were only 10 feet above ground, and that he was going to land anyway, the intelligent demisaiyan just nods with an, "Alright."

When the raven lands, Yajirobee hops off of his back and waddles into the woods so fast, Gohan and Bulma have to do a double take. Drop sweating, he sets the Briefs daughter down and withdraws his hands from her body.

The young Z Fighter uses his free time to think. He gets so lost in his thoughts, that he becomes unaware and uncaring for the world around him. Absentmindedly, he can hear Bulma's voice – like it's far away, but it's _there_.

He immediately recognizes the tune as the one his mother used to sing for him when he was just a baby in the cradle.

_Haven't you seen me sleep walking/_

'_Cause I've been holding your hand/_

_Haven't you noticed me drifting/_

_Oh, let me tell you/_

_I am/_

_Tell me it's nothing/_

_Try to convince me/_

_That I'm not drowning/_

_Woah, let me tell you/_

_I am/_

_Please – please tell me you know/_

_I've got to let you go/_

_I/_

_Can't help falling/_

_Out of love/_

_With you/_

Hence it's meaning, the lullaby lulls him into a string of gentle thoughts: His mother rocking him back and forth in his cradle, singing that lovely song.

Gohan considers it weird and remarkable. Most people don't even remember if they cried a lot as a baby. But he remembered everything. Even that lullaby – word for word. Even though it was such a long time ago, and he had been through so much – one might think that a lullaby would be the last thing that Son Gohan would remember.

To him, it means that this must be significant.

The Son son figures it will calm him in the worst of times.

The most traumatic experiences that are yet to come.

Gohan gets so far lost in his Wonderland of Thoughts, that he definitely doesn't hear when Bulma calls his name for the hundredth time. Literally. When he gives a grunt to signify he's listening now, she tells him she was counting.

And knowing Bulma Briefs for the 10-12 years of his life – it's terribly sad, but actually quite funny that even Son Gohan himself can't remember how long he's been alive – he believes her.

"Hn," Gohan grunts, his onyx eyes stormy. Thinking about the lullaby lead to thinking about his mother – inevitably leading to the worried, pessimistic – and optimistic – thoughts of his father. The demisaiyan feels his stomach twist painfully. He's growing sick with worry.

He realizes that this must be how his mother feels when he and his father storm into battle – only times two.

And now her husband comes down with a supposedly incurable heart disease, and her son is nowhere to be found – by her standards, anyway.

Gohan nearly curses his soft and considerate heart, along with his never faltering conscience. He doesn't want to cause his mother any more trouble than his father does already. But he _has_ to.

If his father were to die in battle (as he has before) Gohan wants to at least have the satisfaction of knowing he tried everything within his power to delay or prevent it. Even if he has to live the rest of his life with the dissatisfaction and guilt of knowing his power wasn't enough.

Gohan hopes to Kami that his mother understands.

And he hopes with every fiber of his being that his father's alright. Hell, with all the time they were taking, Son Goku is probably preparing to knock the sense into some androids – if Krillin and the others hadn't succeeded. But with super saiyan Vegeta, they were probably at their house right now, telling Goku all about the battle –

"GOHAN!"

Said boy's head snaps up. His eyes are stormier than before – ferocious, even.

"What!" The half-blood snaps back, causing Bulma to recoil. He had never been rude to anyone before.

_The stress must be taking a serious toll on him_, Bulma muses to herself grimly.

The demisaiyan seems to realize his fault, because he sighs, an apology shining in his onyx coal eyes. He pushes a hand through his long, black mane.

"I…" He sighs heavily. "I'm sorry."

The bluenette decides that Gohan has seen far too much, is taking on too much responsibility, is dealing with far, far too much stress, and is way too mature for his age.

Even saiyans have their limits.

The bluenette shakes her head, "I'm sorry too. I was just wondering if you had anything I could use as a diaper; I'm all out."

Her voice is quiet, and tinged with fear, but strangely optimistic. Gohan almost feels bad for shaking his head.

"N-No… Sorry…"

She looks distressed and crestfallen, so he looks around.

"Whew!" Yajirobee shouts as he struts out from the woods, unintentionally flaunting his long, red scarf.

Bulma smirks, trying desperately to ignore the horrendous stench of Yajirobee's shit.

"Yajirobee…," the bluenette starts, "Lemme see your scarf."

* * *

Gohan sighs tiredly as they wait for Yajirobee on their third stop.

Earlier on, they had decided to for Capsule Corp. instead. Bulma claimed she'd need to change Trunks and gather more supplies. So being the generous being Gohan is, he swerved and changed directions.

He'd been seriously reluctant to, though.

When they arrive at Capsule Corporation, Yajirobee hops off of the demisaiyan's back - thankfully, Gohan thought he was forming a hump - and waddles off into a room that might've been a bathroom. All the while, he ignores the cheerful greeting Mrs. Briefs - Bulma's mother - throws their way.

"Bulma!" The elder shouts gleefully. "So glad you're back - and you brought the boys with you!" Mrs. Briefs sounds so sweet and genuine, that Gohan just _has_ to smile. He bows respectfully, "Hello, Mrs. Briefs."

Her eyes light up when she acknowledges the half-blood. "Gohan!" She clasps her hands together. "You must've grown a foot since I've seen you!"

Instinctively, he responds with bashfulness. He'd never really had the attention of a woman besides his mother before - and Bulma didn't really count.

"Ooh! You're just like your father too; you get handsomer and handsomer with each passing day!"

The compliment causes the Son boy to blush like a madman. Sheepishly, he scratches the back of his head. He's far too embarrassed to thank the elder woman. "Oh my! Look at you! So cute when you're bashful!"

"Mother," Bulma calls, sensing Gohan's discomfort. "Can you go make us some snacks?" Mrs. Briefs immediately and happily agrees, "Oh, of course!" When she turns her back to them, Gohan sends Bulma a grateful look.

"Oh! Wait!" Mrs. Briefs turns around at Gohan's sudden exclamation. "We can't stay for snacks." Bulma blinks in confusion before realization dawns on her features. "We have to get going."

Mrs. Briefs tilts her head in confusion, "Go where?"

Instead of letting Gohan explain, Bulma ignores her mother and cuts him off.

"Go on without us." She demands.

Gohan blinks, "W-What about you and - "

Bulma rolls her eyes, juts a hip, and waves her hand dismissively, "Oh, _puh-lease_. Me and the idiot will take one of my jet copters when we're ready."

Gohan smiles gratefully, "Thanks Bulma."

"Any time, kiddo." She ruffles his hair, causing him to cringe, but giggle a bit, before shooing him off. "Now go on and get. It'll take Yajirobee a couple of centuries to get outta that bathroom - and I don't want you to be one of the casualties of _his_ grenade." The bluenette juts a finger in the direction of Yajirobee and scrunches up her nose. Gohan laughs.

"Thanks again, Bulma!" The demisaiyan backs up and blasts off into the skies - only this time, at a break neck speed.

And Bulma understands.

Because he needs his mother.

He needs to know his father's okay.

He needs to know he's not too late.

He just…

He just needs to get _home_.

* * *

Krillin slides over to help his friends only when the androids are no where in eye sight and ear shot - but then again, they were androids, so maybe they had super bionic hearing... It would be awesome to have super hearing - like Superman, right? Or was that someone else? Spider-Man, maybe?

The human sighs at his scatter-headedness and trudges over to Tien first; he was the closest.

"Tien," he mumbles to his friend as he hauls him into a sitting position. The three-eyes super human groans in pain and protest. Regardless, Krillin pushes a senzu bean between his lips. "Chew." The midget demands, "For the sake of you." The grinding of Tien's teeth lets Krillin know that he's semi-conscious.

A few moments later, Tien shoots up, eyes wide. "They... They..." He gulps. "They demolished us..." Krillin sighs, "Help me help them before we get into what the hell just happened." Tien nods, standing up to walk over to Trunks.

Soon enough, they're all wide awake and replenished.

"So the androids know about senzu beans too?" Piccolo narrows his eyes in anger. Tien elaborates, "Why didn't they just finish us off, then? Is that their way of saying, "You're not even worth our time", or some shit? I just. Don't. Get it."

Krillin opens his mouth to explain, but Piccolo beats him to it.

The namekian clenches his fists, "So we're just a game to them, then!"

Krillin nods, "Yeah... Pretty much." Tien and Piccolo glare swords at the midget - not daggers, _swords_.

"They said it themselves!" Krillin explains, and their eyes soften - but not by much. "What'd they say?"

Through clenched teeth Krillin elaborates further. "The one with the black hair, and the orange scarf - "

Trunks declares the android's "name" without thinking, "17."

Krillin nods, "I guess. He - 17 - said that - that..." He stumbles over his words, far too in terror to continue. "He said that... This was all a game to them... I - I asked him why they were still pursuing Goku - because Gero's dead, after all - but they said that this had nothing to do with Gero..."

The events of earlier flashed through Krillin's mind like a black and white movie - a black and white horror movie, that is.

* * *

_"Wait! Wait!" Krillin shouted again as they prepare to take off. "Why are you doing this?! Why are you after Goku?! What did he do to you?! Gero's gone now! He can't deactivate you if you don't follow his orders!"_

_17 joined in on the smirking. "This has got nothing to do with Gero." 18 flipped her bangs to the side, capturing Krillin's full and utter attention once again._

_"Th-then… Why're you…" 18 heaved a sigh at the super human's ignorance, but allowed 17 to answer the unfinished question._

_"Because this is a game."_

_Krillin reeled back in shock._

_"A – a… Game…?"_

_15 nodded, "A sick, twisted, prolonged game."_

* * *

"So if this is a game..." Trunks starts, leaving Piccolo to finish. "How long does it last?"

Krillin inhales sharply, unblinking, unmoving - fuck, almost nonliving.

* * *

_"How long does it go on?" The simple man dared to ask. _

_"Until we want it to end." 18 said, her voice sweet as nectar and thick as honey to Krillin. But in reality it was quite the contrary._

* * *

"Well?" Piccolo demands.

"It lasts as long as they want it to..." The man mumbles, his voice barely a whisper.

* * *

Vegeta has had enough. He needs to get away. He needs to train. He needs to scream. He needs to_ destroy._

So, naturally, he flies off.

He'd be back in his own time.

* * *

"FA - VEGETA!" Naturally, Trunks starts after him, but Piccolo just shakes his head and waves him off. "Don't. Let 'im cool off, Trunks."

The lavender's eyebrows furrow, "B-But..." Piccolo sighs heavily. "Look, Trunks." Piccolo's voice is stern and final. "Vegeta just got pummeled, demolished, and then simply thrown the side - long forgotten - by a _girl_. _All by herself_. Android, or not."

"His pride has taken an almost irrecoverable blow."

Trunks nods slowly in comprehension.

"Let him cool off."

"Alright."

They all turn to face each other.

"Whaddya we do now?" Tien asks into the wind. "Those things are stronger than we could ever imagine. All of us together couldn't even put a dent in 'em and we didn't even take 'em all on! If that girl is as powerful as she is, I wonder if the other three are stronger..."

Krillin shivers.

That wasn't possible.

Android 15 was the goddess of demons.

Cold, cruel, and powerful to the core.

Yet frighteningly gorgeous.

"I'd reckon you three get Goku to a safer, more remote resting area. He needs to be as far away from the androids - without the androids knowing - as possible." Krillin nods in agreement, "But what about you?"

Piccolo scowls - even deeper than usual. "What about me?"

Krillin grins humorlessly, "We're a team, remember Piccolo?"

Piccolo scoffs. "Oh yeah? When the _fuck_ did I agree to that _bullshit_? Remember this, just because I'm not fighting - no,_ beating_ - you to the death doesn't mean I've stopped my plan for world domination!"

And just like that, the namekian's gone.

Tien sighs, "Shoulda' seen that one comin'. Once a villain - always a villain."

The man-midget just rolls his eyes. There was not a doubt in his mind that Piccolo was pretending to maintain the little pride he had left. Anyone - just not Tien - could tell that Piccolo was heading off for The Lookout. He was probably planning to merge with Kami - well, that was if Krillin knew Piccolo.

And after all the Hell they'd been through together, Krillin was pretty sure he knew Piccolo.

"Maybe..." He mumbles softly, he'd just explain it to Tien later.

"C'mon. We've gotta get Goku to get Master Roshi's island."

"Actually, I'm gonna head off to find Chiaotzu - so we can train, alright? Call us if you need us."

Krillin sighs but nods, "Sure."

And just like that, Tien's off.

"Guess it's just me and you then, Trunks."

The lavender-haired teen just nods.

* * *

**Nicole Bro:** Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you again. I hope you review again!

**dcp1992: **Thank you. I know, right! I didn't want her to be as ruthless as she is, but I had to make it point: She's furious. And she's this bundle of hate that feasts on despair and sadness.

**brad1990: **I enjoyed writing that scene a shit ton too. And that's gonna come up later on in the fan fiction, after she meets Gohan.

**fangs of death: **That, my lovely reviewer, is for me to know, and you to fret over. And _thank you_. That seriously means a lot to me.

**Dyton: **I know. But I had to make it a point that she is seriously beautiful - that even though girls may be very beautiful on the outside, they can be witty, clever, intelligent, vicious, and lethal on the inside. And as for Videl's "looking age"... She's a quite developed and tall 11-13 year old - more than not 11/12. But she is older than Gohan - a little taller too.

**NatNicole: **I think I'm gonna keep her as "15" until a certain point in the story. I'll contemplate on it more so later, though. Thank you. I had to rewrite that shit like, 15 times. By the way, you're always helpful. And as for Videl's age... Meh. Maybe 11/12.

**anon: **I'm still thinking about it. But thank you. Because that idea is ridiculously brilliant. I didn't even think about that. I was thinking like, "Android V", y'know? Since her name is Videl. And _thank you_ for being the first reviewer of _**Chapter Two**_.


	4. Chapter Four

_This chapter is literally an experiment. I got the idea while walking to the bathroom and thinking of Yuno from Mirai Nikki (Future Diary). I'm not sure about it. If the concept is too confusing to fully grasp and comprehend then I'll replace this chapter with the original Chapter Four_. _I hope you enjoy! And as usual, my responses to your reviews are at the bottom._

**_Chapter Four_**

* * *

The roar of power is deafening.

The winds are searing, pounding against her face with everything they've got, blinding her. From what she can tell, her hair is floating - she has to do a double take because her hair is _defying fucking gravity - _probably due to the strong winds of energy. She is surrounded by a thick and tall tornado of black and a purplish crimson color. The clouds are dark gray and the sky is pure black, flashing with gold streaks of lightning, and rumbling with loud roars of thunder.

It hurts her ears.

When her head bows down to the mighty storm winds, it is then, she notices the floor. The floor she is sitting on with her knees bended on either side of her hips. The floor that is made of pure glass - a mirror, if one would. And she can see herself.

Her hair_ is_ flying, a dark and entangled mess of black attached to her scalp.

Her eyes are not her eyes. They are blood red, tainted and absolutely illuminating with fire, murder, and power. But the color is wavering. It begins to fade into an innocent pale blue, filled with fear, uncertainty, and utter confusion.

And suddenly, _he_ is there.

She isn't sure who he is, but he's beautiful. She knows boys aren't supposed to be, but he was absolutely glowing with it - beauty.

His hair is flickering between a nice, spiky, golden shade of glowing blonde and a nice, also spiky, dark shade of raven - pure black. Both styles reach the beginning of his neck. She can't decide which color she likes better.

Her crimson eyes fall from his hair to his eyes, and she jerks gently. They're flickering from a gentle obsidian to an enraged, startling, yet calm teal. The teal gems accompany the raven locks, and the obsidian stones accompany the golden tresses.

That isn't right.

She doesn't know how she knows, she just does. Maybe it was the other way around?

She inhales sharply as his hands grip tight to her forearms. Instinctively, her hands fly up to cradle his elbows.

She notices that the obsidian eyes are now accompanying the raven locks and she feels pleased, because this is right. This is how it's supposed to be.

His lips are moving. His eyes become distressed, bright with sadness, glinting with faith, and illuminating desperation. She can't hear his words, but she bets his voice is as beautiful as he is. Her dream makes him voiceless.

However, she can read his lips.

Which is very odd, because since when were her eyes that analytical?

_Show me that you're human!_

And just like that, he disappears, panic overwhelms her ability to breathe, and the glass floor shatters into pieces, allowing her to fall into a type of darkness and insanity that _Kami_ himself can't stop.

* * *

Videl Satan jolts awake with a gasp.

_Show me that you're human_...

What the_ fuck_ was that supposed to mean?

But soon enough, the dream vanishes into the "Ill think about this later" file of her brain.

The pale blue-eyed beauty doesn't know where she is, what she's doing, why she's doing it, or who she's with.

The last thing she remembers - before her brain was put into auto pilot - was when she and her father had been in the city. She was what? 14? They had been looking for a dress - she doesn't remember why, though. And then, she was... Taken? Kidnapped? Killed? She doesn't remember much of that either. She has this nauseas feeling that she doesn't want to remember, either.

Her pale blue eyes observe her surroundings. If she had been kidnapped, she could probably think of an escape plan. She wasn't as smart as Athena - dear _Kami_, no - but she could figure out _something_.

"15," one of her kidnappers - she assumes so - calls tentatively. She blinks. 15? Do they address each other by numbers? Is that their codenames? "15," the same kidnapper calls, his voice containing force and demand, as if he commanded to be respected and answered. His hair is jet black and he has an orange scarf wrapped around his neck. She almost snorts at his choice of attire but observing her own.

Her shirt had been torn in numerous places - and it was far too revealing for her likes. And her shorts - they were ripped and shortened a shit load - far, _far_ too short.

"For fuck's sake, _**15**_!" Her pale blue eyes shoot up. Was this idiot addressing her? Because even though she didn't remember maybe the last decade - possibly century - or so, she knew damn well her name was _Videl Satan_. And no, the writing on her wrist was not the only reason she knew that.

(She admits to herself with shame that it was 15% of it, though.)

The other two - the pretty blonde and the unattractive, hulky mass of muscle - were staring at her. So these three strangers knew her by the name of "15"? What the fuck had she _missed_?

She clears her throat, before snapping, "What."

The orange scarf dude scowls, Videl smirks. "We're here."

She wants to ask where, but they're already getting out of the van before she can. She plays along, rising from her seat and shuffling along the metal until her feet hit concrete. She doesn't want to seem out of it, but how can she _not_ when these people seem so familiar with her, and she doesn't even remember their first names - well, numbers, probably.

"18," the same dude calls over to the blonde. Videl makes a mental note: The blonde was 18. "What is it, 17?" Another mental note: The douche with the orange scarf was 17. 18 seems far too wrapped up in her ventures of clothes to really pay the boy any attention.

"Hurry up with your "shopping". We still need to have our day on the town." The blonde rolls her eyes and scoffs, "Asshole." Her baby blue eyes brighten with rememberance and the blonde turns to Videl, "C'mon. We're here for you, aren't we?" Videl doesn't know what to say, so she just nods. 18 grabs the ebony's hand and guides her to a dressing room.

Once inside and locked in with 18 - it was quite the extravagant dressing room - Videl can hear the screams of anguish and agony erupt from the mouths of more than likely terrified people - the people who were in the store when she and the other three had shown up.

"What the hell's going on out there?!" She shouts at nobody in particular, though 18 answers her question.

"17's probably having his fun."

Videl's lips pull into a scowl. She turns from the piles of clothes she and 18 picked out and glares over at 18. Her eyes soften as she realizes that 18 is just as angry as her.

"Are you captive too?"

The words fall from her lips before she can think them through.

_Shit._

18's eyes shoot up to meet her own. Her eye brows knit together in confusion before a comprehending smirk forms on her face. It takes her a few moments to put the pieces together.

**_Shit._**

The blue eyed beauty snorts. "So you _are_ a defective android. You're not as perfect as Gero made you out to be."

Something about the name "Gero" snaps something in her.

Suddenly, she her expression is guarded and closed off. Her eyes are cold and merciless.

"What the fuck are you talking about, 18?"

18's eyes widen in shock. What type of android _was_ 15? Did she have multiple personalities as a human, and then it carried out when she became an android? No. The doctor would've noticed and nipped that in the bud. Even if he wanted to make her life a tiny bit worse as an android, the doctor would've never let that be carried out - he was fond of this android, from what she could tell.

Or perhaps...

Perhaps, she is two trapped in one.

Perhaps, she is two souls.

Two souls. One body. Either soul cannot live without the other, but these two souls do not know either even exists within the body.

How could the doctor pull off such a thing?

And what exactly was that other 15 thinking?

What did she mean?

Did she think she was kidnapped?

Probably so.

If the 15 Android 18 was used to is cold, merciless, and pure evil, then the other one was more likely than not her opposite.

18 tries to inform 15 about her other self, but something stops her. It's like she can't say the words. It's like a part of her is still controlled by Dr. Gero. So almost immediately, she stops trying.

18 turns her attention back to the impatient as ever 15. "Pick your shit out, 15. I'll tell you what I think."

15 grunts before rolling her eyes. "You mean you'll bash me no matter how pretty I actually look."

18 smirks right back. "You know me so well."

15 turns around and picks out some more clothes: A white tank top, studded along the low cut neckline were pale blue mini diamonds, a dark green vest, dark green shorts, and black combat boots. She keeps her black and slightly faded fingerless gloves.

The ebony looks into the mirror with a satisfied scowl.

Her shirt is a bit low cut and hugs her curves perfectly, and the vest - the vest draws attention away from her shirt, but not by much. The cotton, tree green shorts reach just a few centimeters above the middle of her thigh - just like the old pair - and fit to her hips perfectly. Her combat boots complete the outfit.

She stretches her glove clad hands. The gloves add her own special touch.

"I... I think I knew about you before _you_ knew about you."

Android 18 just watches as the slightly confused ebony pulls her hair back into a pony tail, and decides not to dwell on her words.

* * *

**A/N:**_ I would like to remind everyone that this is just an experiment. If it isn't what you hoped for or if you don't like it, that's okay - it isn't officially apart of the story. But if my mutations do like it, then it will be with a little more editing._

**NatNicole: **Aw! Thank you! My chapters reach the standards of perfection? Thank you! And ohhhhh. I thought you meant like, change her android name. And thanks for clarifying! I spent like half the day trying to find another name before giving up. And yes, Girl Power for the win!

**fangs of death: **Thank you. This, as my other mutations may or may not have caught on, is going to follow the story line with a bit of my own twists and turns and experimentations. And _of course_, my lovely mutation.

**thedarkpokemaster: **I missed you! And I hope those last two chappies made you feel better! And I hope you get well too! And honestly it depends on how people react to this chapter.

**anon:** Thank ya'! And I appreciate that you don't tire of my writing. (Or if you do, you don't express it.) And about her breast size: As a 12 year old, I was far more... _developed_... than the average girl my age (C-D) so I kinda wanted her to take after me. (I dunno_ why_.) And no, you're not overthinking it, you were just wondering. /Shrugs./ S'okay to wonder every now and then.

**Dyton: **I know. Believe me, I know. But honestly, I don't know how old she is. I know what I said in the last chapter, but I've been thinking about this confliction for a while. She looks about 14, right? But honestly, for all I know, she could've been born in the 1850's - using regular timelines rather than the DBZ timeline - and Dr. Gero could've abducted her and turned her into an android before putting her in a chamber to maintain her beauty and youth. As expressed above, Videl doesn't even know what year it is. Nor does she - for certain - know her own age. But then again, maybe their just taking after Master Roshi.

******dcp1992: **Thank you. And I know. Everyone's just like _Where the hell is Gohan_, and I'm just like, _Be patient, my young padawans. _And thank you, so much, for being my first reviewer for _**Chapter** **Four**_.


	5. Chapter Five

_I am ashamed of myself for waiting so long to update. Did it feel like a long time? Gomenasai, my mutations - I had a lil' bit of Writer's Block... But then I just discovered it was my own laziness. So, I was wondering - I've seen quite a few stories doing this - if my mutations wanted like, a sound track, or something? I'll put the song title at the top, right below the "**Chapter _**" if so. As usual, my responses to my mutations' reviews are at the bottom._

**_Chapter Five_**

* * *

When Trunks explains that even if he did manage to make a trip to the past and destroy the androids before Gero manages to wake them, Gohan intervenes. His intelligence - rather, obliviousness? - slices through the plan like steel, "Say it worked?" The young demisaiyan begins, brushing his midnight black bangs away from his face. "What would happen to the androids in this present? Would they like, just cease to exist, or something?" The Son boy tilts his head, his onyx orbs glinting with curiosity before his mother forces him to focus on his studies.

Trunks has to blink twice before the hypothesis is fully registered in his mind. The conclusion hits him in the head like a brick thrown by a Super Saiyan Goku aiming for a needle - _hard_. "No..." The lavender haired man mumbles as he turns his back to them.

("Them" includes Gohan, Chi Chi, Krillin, Yamcha, and of course, Goku.)

His baby blue eyes glare fiercely at something far away, but when Krillin tries to follow his line of gaze, all there is, is sky. "It would simply alternate_ that_ specific timeline, leaving this one to it's own." Trunks' scowl intensifies by ten fold.

"Nothing of _this_ timeline would change." Running a hand through his thick locks, Trunks lets out an aggravated sigh.

When Trunks explains the ultimate flaw in his plan, Krillin's mind reels. Not that it wasn't reeling before - but now it's lurching, reeling, and spinning. This was far too much to comprehend. The bald man understands the concept itself - or does he? - but time travel always confused him beyond human comprehension.

The past few hours - fuck, the past few _weeks_ - flitted by in a hazy, unclear, blurred mesh. All of this is happening so _fast_, that Krillin forgets how they got onto this Capsul Corp. aircraft.

The bald man knows _why_ of course - to move Goku to a safer and more hidden location, namely Master Roshi's - but he forgets _how_.

He notices Chi Chi shoving a bunch of papers into Gohan's face - no doubt his "studies". Krillin almost snaps, because this is _definitely_ the time to be studying: when there are _more than_ one, significant, and positively dire situations thrusted upon everyone's shoulders.

And also, anyone within a 3,000 mile distance can see the weariness, and slight irritation, in the demisaiyan's onyx orbs - but obviously not Chi Chi. (Which is _sad_, because she's his mother, and should know him inside and out.)

Krillin doesn't snap because she's Chi Chi. And that in itself is explanation enough. (Also because she can scare the shit outta two super saiyans, and one - possibly two - half saiyans. She is most definitely not to be fucked with.)

Yamcha blinks, lips parted slightly, "If doing this - time travel, I mean - is pointless... If it doesn't help you, nor your timeline..." The Z Fighter's eyebrows furrow, "Why would you help us?" Krillin's mind is so nonfunctional, that he notices the "you" of Yamcha's rushed and confused tone sounds like "chu".

Trunks, however, is fully functional, and is caught off guard by the question completely. After a few moments of thick, and tension filled silence, the lavender haired teen answers the question. Body rigid, back still turned, and eyes made of stone.

"My mother."

This is enough to grab Krillin's full attention once more. Everyone in the room - even Chi Chi - is now clinging to his every word. Trunks' eyes - if possible - become colder, angrier. His voice is deep and thick with emotion: anger, longing, determination. Gohan's all too familiar with these emotions.

"My mother is done. My mother is done living in a world without hope. This is what she wants. She wants a world full if hope - even if she, herself, cannot live within this world full of hope, she wants one - needs one. And I want this too."

With a sharp inhale, Trunks turns around to face his audience. A hand lodged into his hair, the demisaiyan stares off into the distance once again. "I was supposed..." He starts again, his fingers trembling, his body begins to convulse, because _he's failed his mother_. Not only has he fucked up this timeline, he's made it worse than his own. 17 and 18 were hella stronger than they were in his timeline. And _two_ _more_ androids were awoken. No one could've anticipated 15's strength. 16 was sill an unknown mystery to solve - no doubt he was probably on the caliber of 17 and 18 - 15 had to be the strongest of them all.

"I was supposed to bring him back - Goku, I mean - so he could defeat the androids..." With a shaky sigh, the teen steadily slides onto his ass.

They all watch him. Not with pity - with understanding. Because they've all felt that they've let someone down before.

"I'm sorry..." He damn near whimpers. "Maybe if I hadn't came... Maybe all this wouldn't be happening... Maybe 15 and 16 wouldn't have been awoken..."

And at this, Chi Chi can't help but snort.

All attention turns to her. The princess - well, as of the day she got married to Goku "queen" - of the Ox Kingdom elaborates:

"If you hadn't have warned us and gave us that medicine, we'd all be in a much worse situation." She smiles this helpless little smile and runs a hand through Goku's hair while petting Gohan's head and something tugs at Trunks' heartstrings. Maybe it's because he's getting comforted by his auntie - second mother, really - and he's never even seen her before. Are all the Sons sweet and compassionate?

Chi Chi's eyes soften and her smile broadens into a mixture of gentleness and gratefulness, and Trunks feels a little bit better about the entire situation.

"Someone's still gotta call Bulma and let her in on our little escapade to Roshi's."

When Krillin's the last of the three boys - Yamcha, Trunks, and himself (Chi Chi doesn't have to participate because she's Chi Chi, explanation enough. And Gohan's strictly focused on homework) - a sharp and loud, "Dammit!" flies throughout the ship-like airplane.

Krillin swears that Trunks and Yamcha enjoy seeing him wither, cringe, and squirm under the terrifying wrath of Bulma Briefs.

_I'll get you fuckers!_

* * *

18 learns that she expects too much out of 17.

After all, he is a teenage boy. (Or he was.)

And all teenage boys crave fun, right?

But her patience is wearing thin with this fun-living, asshole fucker.

Incredulously, her eyes flicker to the rear-view mirror. She can see 15 - or is that her alternate? - reading a book with earphones tucked tight into her ears. The blonde can't see exactly what it says, but she thinks it's The Last Hero, or some shit. The noirette has some type of device attached to her belt.

(Before they left the store, 15 decided that she wanted a belt. It was more like a warrior's belt - kinda like Batman's, but rather brown than black. In each rectangular pocket were "tools of a ninja" as 17 explained when 18 questioned it. Tools such as ninja stars. Some other stuff she didn't want to know about, and a dagger, as well - each type of tool had its' own specific pocket.

_15 is one dangerous fucker_, the blonde concluded as they left the store; covering up her awe with an unimpressed shrug of her shoulders.)

18 recalls 15 calling it a "phone" - one of the more advanced ones, to be somewhat specific. The blonde - along with everyone else in the car - can hear the gentle humming of the noirette, though no one complains. They wouldn't dare interrupt her - oh _fuck_ no. 15 was far too unpredictable. Her humming was quite soothing, anyway. A few words slip from the girl's lips every so often.

"_For some reason I can't explain, I know Saint Peter won't call my name_..."

18's baby blue eyes travel across the rear-view mirror, and she spots the hunk of muscle they call 16. His fiery red hair is straight, slack, and fallen all over his scalp. A few strands fall into his eyes. His eyes startle her; she wasn't expecting the stormy white-grayish, blue tinted orbs that narrowed at her.

She stares at them incredulously because 17's been driving for no less than 14 hours, leaving a trail of destruction everywhere they went, and Son Goku has yet to be seen. She understands 16. She can tell that he's silent, and patient. However, it is rather odd for 15. Maybe it was her alternate? Videl Satan? The blonde had managed to catch sight of the words written into her wrist.

Or maybe that book of hers was just that damn good...

"17..." 18 starts cautiously, a warning - a promise - of pain to come in the future if he didn't answer he oncoming question with careful thought and precision. "You _do_ know where you're going, don't you." Her voice is flat, as if daring him to correct her. And because 17 is 17, and he isn't afraid of anything, he does dare.

"Nope. That's all apart of the fun."

18 swears she's going to shut 17 down if she has to put up with him for another minute.

Sensing 18's distress, 15 looks up from her book t gaze at her, then her pale blue eyes flicker to 16. Silent pleas dance in her eyes. A few seconds later, 16's voice tears through the tension: "Goku's home is located on a mountain village within section 439 East." 17 snorts. "And flying," 16 adds, "Would've been the most sufficient way."

17 rolls his eyes. "Why thank you, 16." 18 flashes her brother a glare, 15's eyes glint dangerously at the boy too.

"But the most insufficient way is usually the most fun."

* * *

When Bulma spills the story, cutting Krillin off when he tries to explain their side of their story, they're all thrown off - Trunks most of all. Because how would Trunks' time machine be there, if it was here - right here with him?! It makes no sense. Maybe future Bulma had found the materials to make another and traveled back in time to find him? No. If that were the case, she would've headed straight for Capsule Corp. Ideas run through his head, but none of them make legit sense.

When Bulma faxes a copy of the photo of his time machine, Trunks gets even more confused. Like, _what the fuck_ is going on? Beause he's seeing it with his own eyes. That's his _exact_ time machine.

When Bulma tells them the somewhat location of the replica time machine, Trunks is ready to blast off in a heartbeat. If not for Gohan asking to join him, Trunks would've been gone the next second. "We'll meet back at Roshi's, alright." It's not a question. And then, they're off. Trunks blasts through the sky, Gohan close on his tail.

* * *

Bulma - she told them she was coming along as well - Trunks, and Gohan inspect the time machine from head to toe. A few moments before, Trunks officially identified it as the same one locked within his capsule. Gohan's the first to speak again, "Whatever was in there... Melted it. You can tell from the way the edges curl out rather in." Bulma's lips purse, "Open it up." And that's exactly what Trunks does.

Gohan watches in awe as the lid to the time machine slowly creaks open. Once fully open - or as open as it can get - Trunks hops inside, his finger pushing serveral buttons before numbers appear on a small screen. Whilst Trunks works the technology, Gohan grabs for the two split thingies. He doesn't know what to call them... Two halves of a shell?

"Lemme see." Bulma instructs. Gohan dumps the halves into her hands. "I'd say the shell of an egg," the Briefs genius hypothesizes, causing the Son demisaiyan to smile triumphantly.

With a sharp inhale and wide eyes, Trunks explains why the thing looks so beat up. "This.. Whoever - or whatever - flew this ship...," he starts, his eyebrows twitching. "Came all the way from the year 788." He grits his teeth as Bulma lets out a small gasp. "Three years after my first trip here..." He trails off, his fingers skillfully pushing all the right buttons. "And if the readings are still correct... Then this thing landed 4 years ago!"

Bulma's eyebrows furrow, and she waits for him to continue. "A full year before I defeated Frieza!"

Pieces of hints and clues form in his head, fathoming into a conclusion. "This is it..." He mumbles, his heart light with that sensation of when he figures something out, but heavy with dread. "_This_ is why you're timeline's changed so much!" If not so deep in worry, dread, and comprehension, Trunks would've smiled.

Because _all of this wasn't all his fault._

* * *

Piccolo can't help the little twinge of fear that lodges itself in his gut when Kami goes haywire.

For King Kai's sake, Piccolo knew the guy was old, but the old namekian was also_ Kami_ - Watcher and Guardian of Earth. He should've had more sense and self control than_ that_.

But when the guardian begins to stumble over his fear-drenched words, Piccolo can tell that whatever this thing is that Kami keeps mumbling about, is strong - stronger than anything that he, or Goku, have ever faced in the past - even stronger than the _androids_. And by the looks of Kami 's distress, this thing isn't here to throw a fucking tea party.

_Shit._

* * *

"I really am a genius, aren't I?" The blue haired woman giggles at her own intelligence. "I mean, I built a time machine! Or rather, I'm going to." Her smile of pride and triumph doesn't falter.

Trunks heaves a mental sigh, "That's great mom, but we can't just leave it sitting here; too many questions if someone finds it."

Bulma and Gohan nod silently in agreement.

"For now," the lavender haired teen begins, dusting some grass and dirt off of his time machine. "Let's shrink it back into a capsule." And he presses a button. Before their eyes, the time machine combusts into smoke, leaving a tiny capsule in its place.

"I'll shrink this one," Gohan notifies, before pushing the exact same button only on the other time machine. And just like the first one, it materializes into smoke, only to leave a tiny capsule in its place. "Right," Trunks calls a tad bit late. "Thanks, Gohan."

Bulma squats down and picks the two halves of whatever kind of shell up, before standing to full height. "I'm gonna take these things back - to study." Trunks nods slowly in agreement, "Good call."

Gohan crosses his arms, his lips drooping into a straight line, "So look," he calls over to Bulma. "We're all heading over to Master Roshi's." Bulma blinks in surprise, before tilting her head in confusion. "The Kami House?" She identifies it. "Why?" Gohan's obsidian orbs darken, stormier than they could ever be, or so she thinks.

"Long story short? These four androids got activated, and now, they're after my dad."

Bulma recoils, "But didn't he take the -" Gohan cuts her off, his glare seemingly intensifying, albeit the sleepiness crinkling in the corners, "He's still too sick to fight."

Bulma notices although his glare is fierce, his voice is weary, and worried, and he's _scared_.

With a small, understanding smile, she nods slowly, urging him to go on. "So we decided to go into hiding - at least until my father's well enough to take them down." Bulma's smile is replaced with a frown. "For safety's sake, you should just hide out with us." And of course, Bulma has to pry further. "But couldn't you guys just team up and take 'em down? Even without Goku?"

This, is where Trunks fiercely intervenes:

"No!" He shouts, forcing all in ear shot - Bulma and Gohan - to turn to him. "Tien, Piccolo, Vegeta, and I went up against them - no not even them. _One_ of them! And we couldn't even slow _her_ down! We were lucky to come out in one piece!"

Bulma has to blink quite the lot of times before the words are fully registered in her brain, "Wow... They're that good, huh..."

Trunks calms down a bit, and crosses his arms. "So tell me, did Vegeta come out of it alright? Is he waiting at the Kami house too?"

"He's alright," the lavender haired demisaiyan begins. "Thanks to eating a senzu bean, but he stormed off by himself. I have absolutely no idea where he is."

Trunks' voice is accusing, incredulous and scandalized. And he's right to feel the way he feels. Because _what kind of father_ just ups and leaves his son like that? After he just helped save your life?!

Bulma, instead of cursing in rage, just giggles at Vegeta's familiar pattern, "That's your father."

* * *

"What's wrong, Gohan?"

He feels a tiny bit of rage lodged tight into his heart. Because what the fuck isn't wrong?!

His father's sick, with a heart disease - and it's possible he might not even recover. His mother's shoving books down his throat every chance she gets. There's a new threat - four new threats - that are strong as Kami and King Kai know what. The Z Fighters' strongest can't defeat even _one_ of them. And these new threats are after his father - mind you, his very, very sick and unconscious father.

But because he's Gohan. And that's explanation enough, he answers somewhat respectively, because part of his attention is angry at that ridiculously stupid question. Another part of it is trying to register the ridiculously stupid question. Another part is trying to answer the ridiculously stupid question. And another part isn't even focused on the question at all.

The demisaiyan is positive he senses something. He's not exactly sure what he senses - but he senses some kind of something. "N-Nothing...," he answers, stumbling over his words, as he's walking towards the energy.

Trunks must notice it too, right?

The Son boy's eyes widen as he takes another step.

Just what the hell - who the hell - was this energy coming from?

He takes a peak behind a rock and he sees it. He sees the cocoon of something that could be the greatest threat in the history of threats - only he just doesn't know it.

* * *

**NatNicole: **Thank you! 15, 17, and 18 are not related by human blood - they're related by android wiring. They all have similar wiring, only they all have different personalities.

**thedarkpokemaster: **I was aiming for shocked - that's the whole founding of plot twists, right?

**TheLoyalMutation: **This made me cry. Your review is... Beyond what I'm able to distribute as a thank you. I am so... God, thank you, I love you. Honestly. You - and all my other mutations - make the hand aching and back hurting pains worth it. Oh gods... If I could meet you in real life, I'd squeeze you 'til you popped. You, my dear mutation, are like, REVIEWER OF THE GALAXY.

**dcp1992: **I appreciate you for spurring me on with this plot twist. I wasn't too sure about it before, but now because of you - and my other mutations - I'm a lot more willing to go through with it.

**Ace Son:** Thank you. I'd be hesitant to read something like this as well. It's not really original, because I'm upmost positive others have thought about something somewhat like this for years, but has no idea how to write it all down. I just happened to be that one person able enough to write four succeeding chapters off of a somewhat summary.

**Dyton:** Thank you, also, for spurring me on with this idea. As for identifying which Videl is which. You'll notice the personality changes. Like, how 15 is cruel and powerful, but Videl is compassionate and confused. The ultimate way to determine which Videl is which, the goddess of demons will be identified by the others as "15". While the confused, yet intelligent other will be identified by the others as "Videl." If the concept still confuses you, then just PM me. And as for Videl/15's "looking age" I've decided to change it. 13. I understand that it's wrong, but I'm just changing it up for future reasons. Gohan, for the time being, is 12. Also, thank you for being the first review for _**Chapter Four**_.


	6. Chapter Six

_Hello, my lovely mutations! I am so, so sorry this took so long to get up and running. It was just... ugh. I hope you like this one. It's not as Videl-centric, but she has her few moments. Gomenasai! I just wanted to get this out. I want more people to reach out to me. To review. To PM me. I mean, I love all of my readers. Whether you only read one chapter, whether you like this story, whether you hate this story, whether you simply dislike it - I don't care. I'm the author, therefore, I have to take the bad with the good, and the dark with the light... As usual, my reviews - reviews, bleh. See how tired I am from writing this? My _responses_ to _your reviews _are at thy bottom._

**_Chapter Six_**

* * *

15 doesn't know what the fuck's wrong with her.

But whatever the hell it is, it needs to cut that shit out right the fuck now.

She can't think straight. She can't... She can't even _function_ right. The book on her lap is open, yeah, sure. However, she, herself, isn't too far into it.

_Dammit._

Ever since they left the store, she's been feeling weird - tingly, and such. Her memories of going into the store are fuzzy - possibly not even there at all. She doesn't remember waking up. She doesn't remember walking into the store. She doesn't remember trying on clothes.

Ever since she "re-awoke" in the dressing room, she can feel something nagging at her. Something strong. Something that steals her breath away, and makes it hard to concentrate. It's an unfamiliar feeling.

15 does not _do_ "unfamiliar feelings".

But she doesn't tell 18 that. And 17 is obviously, and absolutely out of the question. The raven isn't too sure about 16, either.

She's used to being independent. She's used to fighting her own battles. She's used to being on her own, no one around to help her. She's used to being left behind, and having to fend for herself.

So, of _course_, she doesn't tell 18.

After a while, she just leans against the window, the music thumping against her ear drums almost making sense. 15's been listening same said song for a while now; she's able to make heads and tails of the lyrics.

She can't help the next few words that flow from her lips.

_I hear your voice..._

_"You had me all along..."_

* * *

"OI!"

15 jerks awake. What in the seven fucks was that?!

"PAY UP, MISSY!"

Oh.

15 almost laughs as the old fart attempts to call 18 back into the store to pay. She can see 17 donning a smirk.

Playing her cards right, 18 ignores the old salesman, and opens the door to the back of the van. She steps inside, quickly, but slow enough for the man to see 16.

Recoiling at the red-headed, buff android, the man quickly retires into his store. The fear and shock painted in black all over his pale skin. 15 can't keep herself from snorting.

Shutting the door, 18 takes a spot next to 16, before stepping into the first row of seats, and snuggling into shot gun. With a wicked smirk plastered over her plump lips, and a mischievous gleam in her baby blue eyes, the female android snorts to herself, deciding not to comment.

* * *

Not even 10 minutes into their rebooted drive, the police are already on their tail.

"Dammit, 18! You shoulda just slammed the dude's head into a wall!"

18 damn near cringes. Who the hell did he think he was talking to?!

With cold eyes, and a fierce scowl, she glares at the unshaken raven male beside her. "I'm not _you_, _17," _the blonde spits it out, venom lacing her voice.

"I don't just slam people's heads into raw concrete for fun!"

17 was beginning to seriously irritate her. 15 and 16 watch the scene unfold, simultaneously wondering when she was going to crack, explode, hit him - do_ something_.

"Well, what should we do, _18_?" He questions, his voice skeptical.

The blonde slides her elegant hands into her shoulder-length, golden locks, and tugs at the strands, a distressed and frustrated gleam her baby blue crystals. "All these fucking _sirens_... I can't even hear myself fucking _think_!" In a flash, she's gone.

15 watches in shock as 18 rips apart the police cars, but not the men inside them. Her arms slice effortlessly through the sirens, silencing their high pitched cries. The blonde's scowling, hellfire in her eyes.

The police cars end up tumbling off of the road, the men still inside, and screaming in terror, before it all ends in fire.

Within seconds, the blonde's back inside the car, snuggling into shot gun once more.

Rage can transform a person completely, 15 learns.

Her cold exterior is slowly melting away.

She's merging into someone completely different.

And 15 doesn't like it one fuckin' bit.

But something tells her, that it isn't up to whether she wants it or not.

Where was that heartless goddess of demons when she needed her?

* * *

"The people of Ginger Town, have been said to completely disappear. Yes, you heard me right, folks. Disappear. None of them have, or can, be accounted for. We'll do our best, and get back with the details soon enough."

A sorrowful frown graces Bulma's features.

_Ginger Town, huh_...

"Actually..." She realizes, mumbling to herself as all geniuses do. "Ginger Twon wasn't too far from where we found the egg shell, and the cocoon!"

The first thing she does is call the Kame House.

Krillin picks up.

The second thing he does is turn on the t.v.

And it all goes to Hell from there.

* * *

"What. The. Hell. Do. You. See." Piccolo demands for the umpteenth time. This was getting ridiculous. "What is it?!" Piccolo roars. He needed to know exactly what he was fighting, before he went charging into battle.. He was stubborn, yes. But he wasn't Vegeta - the namekian was far too wise for that.

"Mr. Kami...," Mr. Popo pleads softly.

However, Kami remains frozen and silent in fear.

"I refuse to be kept in the dark any longer!" Piccolo shouts, his resolve strengthening.

It's then, that Kami cracks. "Fine then." The guardian responds far too calmly, only making Piccolo's unease worse.

"Well, then." The younger man demands. "C'mon tell me - "

"Why go through all the trouble of _words_," the guardian of the Earth spits out. "You'll know what I saw once we merge." And this almost takes Piccolo by surprise.

But by now, surprises have lost their effect.

So the namekian simply smirks.

Mr. Popo has to look away, eyes filled with tears, as the blinding sea of white engulfs them.

* * *

"So you think that whatever you and Gohan found out there, is the cause of all of this shit goin' down in Ginger Town?"

"Hey," Krillin grins. "That rhymed." Trunks blinks, considering, weighing, and musing over his options for how to respond. "..."

Krillin raises a brow.

"Yup."

The bald midget frowns.

"I'm gonna go check it out." Trunks decides beginning to walk out of the Kame House.

"You sure?" Krillin frowns even deeper when Trunks nods. "I could just go Super Saiyan if things get a bit much. And besides," Trunks begins to walk out the door once again. "It's the androids we gotta worry about." The lavender reminds the baldy. "Not an overgrown bug."

Krillin slowly nods, reluctantly allowing Trunks to head out.

Well, either way, Trunks would've went. It's his job to protect the future, regardless of the direness of danger.

After the tamed spitfire between Gohan and Chi Chi, Trunks heads out alone.

* * *

When Piccolo lands, he can already tell something's wrong.

He advances into Ginger Town, making sure to avoid stepping on the clothes littered about on the ground. He listens and senses carefully for anything and everything.

Except there's nothing to hear but the swooshing of the wind.

And there's nothing to sense.

Except_ him_.

Or should Piccolo call 'im an _it_?

The monstrous being reveals itself.

"Took you long enough."

And thus. It begins.

* * *

Chi Chi's elated to know that Goku's getting better.

She gets even more ecstatic when Goku's lovely obsidian eyes almost flutter open.

But alas, he's out like a light without even sparing her a glance.

She doesn't understand why there's so much disappointment running through her veins.

She should've expected that.

So instead of voicing her rage and anguish like the loudmouth she'd usually be, she plays it cool for Gohan. She had almost forgotten he was there, across from herself, hovering over Goku's finally relaxed body.

"Do you think he'll wake up soon?" Her little boy looks up at her with those eyes.

Those same eyes.

Just like Goku's. Those same, obsidian gems. That bubble and glitter in the sunlight - just as they do in the moonlight. Those same, exact eyes that alight and illuminate with optimism, and freedom, mercy, and _love_.

Those same eyes that she almost saw flutter open just seconds ago.

The only difference is that the corners of Gohan's eyes crinkle with weariness, and stress. She knew it was herself stressing him out, and wearing him down. She knew that all he wanted to do was fight. He wanted to fight for what was right.

He wanted to be called a hero.

And Chi Chi understands the feeling. That rush of joy felt when you save someone in distress. Every inch of pride taken into accord. Chi Chi's felt that before. And she knows that if she were to feel it again, Kami knows how long she'd get blissfully lost in it - having not felt it in such a long time, she'd probably drown in it.

But she can't. Not anymore. She's a mother. A mother with a 12 year old son.

And she can't lose her baby boy.

And to think, if she had only allowed Gohan to go right along with Trunks, she wouldn't have realized such comparison. Chi wouldn't have realized how wrong she was for forcing Gohan to stay. She wouldn't have realized just how selfish she truly is. She always knew that Gohan and Goku looked alike, but gods be damned, they could've been brothers.

It kills her a little bit inside.

She should've let Gohan go.

Gulping down her resentment, she blinks and gives him a soft smile, accompanied by gentle eyes. "Maybe...," she begins, her tone falsely sweet, and playful. "With a little bit of luck." Chi Chi looks back down at her recovering husband.

Getting lost in her thoughts, she barely notices when Gohan leaves her side to go inform someone about Goku's recovery progress.

She's glad to be left in almost-absolute solitude.

* * *

"I don't know if you can understand a word I'm saying, but put the human down. All lives are worth something - no matter how measly."

The_ thing_ - Piccolo doesn't know what the fuck it is - sets the human down, much to Piccolo's relief.

He's relieved until the thing shoves its tail into the human's neck, and begins to drain the body of it's blood and energy.

Then Piccolo becomes just down right mortified.

The body begins to shrivel up, until it disappears and poofs into the thinness of air. All that's left is the clothes.

Piccolo doesn't even_ know_ anymore.

The namekian isn't even sure he_ wants_ to know.

"Submit," the thing begins in a raspy voice, and Piccolo almost begins to laugh.

"_Piccolo_."

_That_ stops his internal laughter.

In a flurry of power, and slightly blinding light, Piccolo can almost feel the power of the monster surging through him - frightening. Terribly frightening, indeed.

"How do you know my name?!" The namekian shouts over the deafening roar of the monster's screams.

This question causes all and everything to cease movement.

After carefully observing his options to answer, the monster finally responds:

"Why shouldn't I..." The thing licks its crusty lips. "_Brother._"

* * *

Gohan's almost positive they all - "all" meaning those of the group whom were trained unforgivingly, and inexplicitly - feel the surge of inexplicable energy - even at their distance.

So, naturally, he isn't alone when he rushes outside to try and pinpoint the source of the strength.

"What the_ hell_ is_ this_?!" Krillin yells. "I've_ never_... I've_ never_ felt anything like this... It's so... It's... -"

Gohan finishes it out. "It's almost like Frieza's power, his father's power..." His voice trails off.

At this point, even Roshi's outside. "It's quite the combination, indeed," the master muses.

* * *

Sailing and zipping through the air, Trunks attempts to make out this power with this intertwining combination of energy. Whoever the hell - or whatever the hell - this is, has almost the exact, same energy as Vegeta, Frieza, Frieza's father, Piccolo, and even Goku. It's like all of their energies are radiating from one single point.

One single person.

_One single being_.

* * *

"I'd like to know the names of those I've defeated... But I suppose I'll make an exception for you."

The thing chuckles, the shine in its eyes glinting as if to say, "_Are you serious_?"

"Ooh," it taunts. "The Terrible Piccolo intends to beat _me_?"

It snorts, "Not likely."

"Listen up, punk. I don't know where you've encountered the name, "Piccolo", but -"

With a few grunts, Piccolo's energy is ripping away at the dirt, sending rocks flying into the air, and slicing through the windy air.

"Unfortunately for you, I'm not him."

Flashing his fangs, Piccolo throws a smirk at the new comer.

"I am the _Namek_."

The Namek crosses his arms. "And as for you?" The namekian chuckles cockily.

"_You're history_."

* * *

Krillin manages to catch up to Trunks minutes after the confusing blend of energies are felt.

The bald midget doesn't know what the hell's going on, but he knows damn well that the lavender haired saiyan _must_ have felt it too.

"Trunks!" The man shouts. "Glad, I found ya! We were sensing all kinds of weird shit comin' from Ginger Town! So we thought you may have needed some help!" He has to shout over the deafening wisps of wind.

"Thanks," the teen responds. "I was thinkin' the same thing... I don't really know what to make of all of this..." Vegeta's heir scowls. "And then, there's this huge power level - but I can't decode who's it is!"

Krillin recognizes who's power level Trunks can't decipher.

"Trunks," Krillin starts giddily, smiling and laughing like nothing's wrong. "That's Piccolo! He united with Kami!"

"United?" Trunks questions. "Oh! You told me about this before, didn't you? You said that, if Piccolo and Kami ever re-united into one being - like they were before - they'd be even stronger than a super saiyan, right?"

"Yup, that's right!" Krillin concedes. "Piccolo's become a super namek!"

Trunks cant help but muse over the idea.

* * *

Everyone, albeit 16, gets out of the van. 15, rather than stand out in the open like 17 and 18, decides to lean against the vehicle, one foot against the metal.

"What the hell was that?" 18 questions, arms crossed, hip jutted.

17 does the honor of answering, hands on his hips. "Felt like an energy blast, didn't it. A pretty big one too."

18 scowls, arms crossed as well, and tries to justify her ignorance. "But it was too far away to tell who it was, or where it came from."

16 and 15 prove half of this theory wrong. "It came from Ginger Town." They both say in unity. Only 15's voice is amused and cocky; whilst 16's voice is mechanical. "There are two massive energies battling it out. They're strong..." 15 licks her smirking, plump, and pink lips. A dark, cynical, and dangerous crimson gleam flashes in in her eyes.

"But not strong enough."

"I don't suppose you could tell us who these two energies are?" 17 suggests, causing 15 to tilts her head in an amused fashion, a few strands of her tied up hair falling into her eyes. "Nope," the raven girl says, popping the 'p'.

"But one of 'em - maybe even_ both_ of 'em - are just as strong as you are, _17.._. Maybe even stronger."

The android isn't pleased. At least, that's what the deepening scowl on his face indicates.

"What the fuck did you say, _15_?"

The words are spat out, poison squeezing the shit out of every one of them.

15 sighs mockingly, and rolls her eyes as if irritated. This was payback for 18. 15 can just tell that the blonde's enjoying it. "I _saaaaiiiiiid - _"

"Shut your fucking trap." This causes the rest of the four to _recoil_.

If 15 hadn't been trained the way she was, if she had any less amount of self-restraint, and self-discipline, she would've ripped 17's head off_ right then and there_. Fuck compassion. Fuck kindness.

"I heard what you said quite clearly; and it must be a malfunction in your system. _Nobody_ is stronger than me." This causes 15 to snort, but 17's rant doesn't stop there. "I am the most powerful fighter there is."

18 can tell by the look on the other androids' faces, that 17's monologue isn't pissing just her off. 17 turns, and walks back to the van. He gets into the driver's seat, but not before bumping shoulders with 15. The rude gesture causes part of her resolve to snap.

"I have had _it_ with you...!" 15 turns around, fangs bared, and a wild look in her eyes. She almost lunges, but thanks to 18's vice grip on her shoulder, she can't.

"Cool your shit, 15. We've got better things to do than fight each other." 15 crosses her arms, turning her back to 18. crimson swirling in her normally cerulean orbs. Neither 16, not 17 recognize the change.

"It wouldn't be fight - oh _fuck_, no."

After shaking her head, the goddess of demons smirks, tipping her head up in an arrogant manner, scowl not only present, but fiercer than ever. That tugging of her heart was no where to be found. That new found compassion of hers had disappeared without trace. She was pure evil once more - the very embodiment of it.

And it was absolutely blissful - beautiful, even.

"I'd_ obliterate_ 17."

18 doesn't respond. She simply flutters over to the van, and hops into shot gun.

After a few minutes of glowering at 17 - with him glaring right back at her - she tears her eyes away and slowly walks back over to the van. She slides the door open, and carefully closes them, making sure not to display her anger. She inwardly seethes, but instead of knocking 17's mechanical head right off of his puny shoulders, 15 simply rests her own head against the window and sticks her ear plugs in once more.

After they destroyed Goku, they'd all go their separate ways. 15'd be glad when they did. One more smart remark at her expense, and she would, for sure, jump 17 and turn him into a pile of circuits gone hay-wire.

She was so _sick_ of 17.

And she was absolutely positive that 18 felt the same way.

_Here you are, down on your knees again..._

* * *

Piccolo almost gets a taste of his own medicine when his "brother" shoots his own attack - the Special Beam Cannon - right at him. But luckily, Piccolo's fast enough to deflect it, and the building behind them goes up in flames.

Piccolo realizes why the saying "Almost doesn't count" is useful, true, and reprimanding.

The super namekian doesn't even have time to dwell over the fact that this monstrosity used his own attack against him. But _what the fuck_?!

Cell lunges, missing Piccolo's body by a direction entirely. The namekian ducks under the monstrosity's arm, but the thing attempts to throw a punch his way. It misses once again when Piccolo vanishes into thin air.

The merged being reappears, spinning vertically through the air. He's too fast for the thing to dodge. Piccolo lands a kick, his foot slamming into the monster's spine, sending him flying through the air arched forward.

The new Piccolo isn't one to waste time. He flies forward, his foot bending in kicking formation. This time, the monstrosity is quick enough to block it. It's forced backward further, but the only damage is the dull ache in its hands.

Piccolo, however, does not give it time to re-cooperate, or rebound. The super namekian lands swiftly, before vanishing once again, and reappearing behind his "brother". The super being once again slams his foot into the thing's spine, sending him flying into the air, arched once more.

This time, Piccolo allows the thing to at least fully absorb the throbbing pains in its back.

"That all ya got?" He questions sincerely. "My senses told me you were a much bigger deal."

The thing ignores the questions - challenges, one could say - and nods his head in satisfaction. "You are a formidable opponent, Piccolo. Forget how easily I'd be able to crush you, once my form is perfected."

The super being scowls fiercely. "Perfected...? Wait. That's why...," Piccolo begins the realization hitting him like a brick. "That's why you were absorbing all these people - the entire population? To obtain more energy?"

The thing chuckles, smirking. "Yes," it seethes, slurring the 's' in a creepy fashion. "I take their bio energy for my own, adding on to my power. Adding on to my existence."

Piccolo is not pleased. "Who's idea was it to send something like you back into time?! Lemme guess - " the namekian's eyes narrow.

"_I_ am the one who sent me back," the monstrosity responds arrogantly.

And Piccolo isn't sure what to make of this discovery.

"That time machine was far too tiny; I was forced to transform into my egg form to travel in it. I am surprised that you were able to decode how I arrived here so easily. That said, I am positively sure you know nothing about this:"

The thing spreads it's legs, and squats just a bit. It extends its arms, each hand parallel to the other, and curved into a claw. "Ka..." And immediately Piccolo is able to tell what attack this is, and exactly who it belongs to. "Me..."

But how?! How could something like this simply copy Goku's energy like it's nothing?! Maybe it absorbed him in the future, and then came back to absorb Goku now? But that doesn't make sense. In another sense, it could - possibly, but something just doesn't add up. "Ha..." But how can it be _Goku's_ energy. The very fabric of it. "Meh..."

Not just the Kamehame Wave itself - _Goku's energy_. It doesn't make_ sense_...!

"HA!" The energy stealer shouts, and the blasts is thrust towards Piccolo. Too fast to block. Too fast to deflect.

So the namekian vanishes, and re-appears feet above the blasts' wake and explosion.

But Piccolo's "brother" predicted this move all along.

The next thing Piccolo knows, he's trapped, his body compressed and squished together by the monster's strength.

The monstrosity's arm stabs into his arm, piercing his greens skin, along with his pink muscle, with a few squishy sounds. Piccolo can't help but to groan in protest and pain. His very life was being sucked out of him. Luckily, the thing only pierced his arm.

Piccolo is within his "brother's" hold for quite a bit. It's only when his limb is a sickening dark brown, and completely drained of life does the thing's tail cease its assault. It stopped on purpose. And Piccolo doesn't even care why.

The super namekian just wants to know why and how the _fucking hell_ can he imitate Goku's power like that.

"Alright," The thing concedes. "I'll tell you." The abomination waits, and allows tension to build as far as it can into the air, until it tumbles down, and crushes Piccolo under its weight.  
"I am Cell..." The monstrosity of a being, whom titles himself "Cell", tilts its head to the side before smirking.

"And I am android."

* * *

**NatNicole: **I believe so. I think that 17 and 18 are fraternal twins... M' not sure on that one, though. But they are blood related. But the both of them to 15, no. And thank you! I worked hard on that!

**dcp1992: **I'm speeding things up with this chapter, so we can get to the kissy kissy goo goo stuff with Gohan and Vi! And yeah, do you think that Videl will help Gohan take down Cell? And thank you. I'm trying to break down Gohan's feelings as much as I can and make it - make him - more realistic. Behind a goofy smile, can be two lifetimes worth of pain, right?

**fangs of death: **I am going to stick to cannon as much as I can - however, I will throw in some twists of my own. As for whether or not Cell will absorb Videl or 18, is classified information. I can not tell you.

**TheLoyalMutation: **I love your username... /Sighs in delight./ Oh, and bruh! /Hits repeatedly, but softly./ Chu spoiled it! Ugh! I didn't expect anyone to actually catch why I made Videl 13. And I have this chapter sorta android/Videl-centric, however, in order to get to the goochy goochy kissy kissy stuff, I need to get certain things in the Cell saga outta the way. M' gonna try to make it more Videl/androids-centric and Gohan-centric as we proceed further and further into this. (And I will take you up on that, so don't go crying if I annoy you too much!)

**thedarkpokemaster: **I dunno... 17's getting on 15's last nerve at the moment. It's possible that they might end up fighting... But 15 wouldn't hurt 18 - that's her sister-like accomplice.

**Ace Son: **Thank you! I appreciate that! 18 isn't afraid of 15. She's just cautious. 15's practically a ticking time bomb - a grenade - just waiting to explode, and not giving a shit about whom gets caught up in the casualties. Me neither! It's gonna make me so giddy to write it! I hope I don't disappoint you!

**Dyton: **I know! But this chapter is also a reminder that Chi has some fears of her own. Maybe making Gohan do his homework keeps those fears at bay? And yes, Gohan's stress level is rising. They're pushing him, and pushing him - and in the end, 15 might not even be the grenade. Or maybe they're both grenades? Maybe that's why when I write their interactions they'll clash? Or maybe they'll melt into one another? Also, thank you for being my first reviewer of _**Chapter Six**_. You are on a _roll!~_


	7. Chapter Seven

_I feel like a douche for waiting so long to update. I am so sorry. This chapter's a bit choppy and short - my apologies. I really wanted to get it out. I promised someone that it'd be out within the "next two weeks" so here it is. I hope I'm not too late! But um... I wanted to ask you guys for emotional support. I'm in a fandom - in _many_ fandoms - and I'm a mess. I can't think straight, and my head's just everywhere. I know this is a bit unprofessional, but I'm a rookie, and rookies make mistakes so... Um...Yeah. Here goes... Have any of you seen The Maze Runner, or read any of the books? If you have PM please. But um... I've only read the first one so refrain from spoilers if you can. My responses to your reviews are at le bottom._

**_Chapter Seven_**

* * *

Gohan decides he's getting better at executing his punches.

The sheer force of one causes the closest part of the ocean to erupt in a wall of water. He repeats this process over, and over. Each time, putting more force and speed into each movement. On his last go, he's sweaty, he's panting, and his muscles are aching from strain and tension, but he decides that ultimately it'll worth it. The ocean erupts yet again, and the tallest and biggest wave he's created thus far reaches for the blue sky on its tippy toes.

Yeah, it was definitely worth it.

"That boy," Roshi grumbles, watching from the window, and completely fascinated by Gohan's power. "Is just like his father." And with that thought, the master's lips dip into a thoughtful frown.

* * *

"I was created by the computer within Dr. Gero's secret laboratory."

Piccolo gives a mental sigh, accompanied by an exasperated groan. Even when the damned doctor was dead, he still hindered the world, and brought about danger. And with danger, inevitably and undeniably came destruction. Kami, Piccolo was getting tired of this. So, so, tired.

"That lunatic again, huh? Just great."

Cell sports a heavy, disbelieving scowl, "Gero was a _genius_."

Piccolo scoffs, "Gero was _insane_."

The so-called "brother" of Piccolo gives a dry smirk.

"Do they not go hand in hand?"

That gives Piccolo something to think about.

"The Doctor took cell samples from the world's greatest fighters, hoping to dissect, analyze, and then synthesize their D.N.A. His purpose to create the perfect android - the perfect fighting machine." Cell smiles, and if not for such cynical patterns sewn into his smile, Piccolo would've thought the android was proud of his creator.

"However," the green android begins again. "The Doctor was rather impatient, and the time it would take to create this perfect android was simply too much to his dismay. He abandoned the project, but left the computer to fend for itself. It worked day and night whilst the Doctor tweaked and created elsewhere. The computer installed additional D.N.A as time went on."

Cell gives a small, cocky chuckle. "From you, Piccolo. Goku, as well. And even the Saiyan Prince, Vegeta. All of this done during the invasion of the saiyans, when you were all at the peak of your powers."

"Oh." Piccolo gives a nonchalant, dismissive chuckle. "From all the way back then, hm?" The namekian raises a amused brow. "That explains why you're Kamehameha was so pathetic and pitiful." Cell dismisses the comment, and continues with his story. The android is conceited to the core and deeper.

"There's more!" The android sewn with cells begins. "We were lucky enough to attain cells from not only Frieza, but his father, as well! During their brief stay on Earth, that is." The absorber's eyes brighten with satisfaction, but then darken with dismay. "We should've gotten a quick nip of that boy's D.N.A - Trunks, I believe his name is - but the computer decided that there was enough saiyan samples."

But Piccolo smells bullshit. Something wasn't adding add. "Okay then," he scowls, not believing a word the monster's said. "How'd the computer get these so called samples?" The namekian pries further. "Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu, Vegeta, Gohan, and I were the only ones there when Frieza's ship landed. We would've sensed any other form of being."

"Not quite." Cell crosses his arms, and tilts his head to the side in slight boredom, a lazy smile slain across his reptilian features. "And it shouldn't be that hard to figure out." The android laughs at Piccolo's distraught ignorance. "S' the same way Gero collected all the data for his research." Piccolo's eyes narrow.

"A tiny fleet of surveillance robots," Piccolo's face of dawning realization forces a few chuckles out of Cell. "The size of a mere fly." Pointing a finger, Cell proves his point, eyes still explicitly on his "brother".

"See?" He begins, "Even now. You're every move is being monitored, taken into careful consideration, analyzed, and then recorded as a stream of data for closer observation and further analysis." The absorber drops his arm smirking. "Who knows," his slit, cat-like pupils dilating in delight. "It might even attempt to take another cell sample from you."

"Like hell!" And with a blast of yellow energy, the robot is destroyed. The only thing left in the aftermath is smoke.

"It's a bit too late I'm afraid," Cell begins, arms still crossed, mouth still slanted into a smug smirk. "The computer has plenty of samples already. The development process is far too well underway." Smug smirk becoming outright arrogant, the reptile tilts his head up in superiority. "In 24 years time, I will emerge. Dr. Gero's final, and greatest creation."

Piccolo silently wonders if Cell can defeat 15. But then, the namekian wonders if Cell even knows about 15. Between Trunks and the android in front of him, who knows how much their timeline got screwed up. If 15 and 16 had been a surprise to Trunks, then they had to be a surprise to Cell, too. They could use this to their advantage if Cell was stronger than Piccolo anticipated. If he, Vegeta, and the Z Fighters could somehow convince the androids to be on their side and then they could... But that was a _last_ resort.

The last of the last of the last of resorts.

"But we destroyed the laboratory! There was nothing left but rubble!" Piccolo tries again. There were just a few more things that needed to be added up. And if everything checked out, then...

Cell shakes his head. "Nice try, but the computer is in a secret bunk under the laboratory." Cell re-evaluates the situation. Why was he telling all of this to someone against him? It was practically ensuring the defeat of his past self. And if his past self ceased to exist, wouldn't his future self ceased to exist? But no. He was absolutely positive he could take on Piccolo. The namek was a worthy adversary, indeed, but unfortunately, he wasn't worthy enough.

"If you showed up 4 years ago, why wait now to reveal your ugly face?" Cell once again ignores the cheap shot, and waves his hand dismissively. "Simple enough. To fit into the damned time machine, I had to regress into my larva state. It took 4 years for my form to mature into the state you see before you. After all, one cannot rush perfection."

"Then one last question." Piccolo guarantees. "You must've had some kind of goal for coming back here, right? What is it?"

The reptilian-like android pauses briefly, before issuing his answer. "I was created to be the perfect fighting machine. However, to achieve such a godly status, I need more than bio energy of humans." Cell spits the last word out as if its a disease. "I cannot attain true perfection, until I absorb two high specialized life forms. Without them, the computer's data shows I will never reach my full potential.

"Without them, I can never fulfill my purpose of existence."

Piccolo grits his teeth. Is Cell searching for Vegeta and Goku? Or maybe two others even more powerful then them...? But the only couple of beings stronger than Vegeta were the...

The androids.

"The two I am looking for are Android 17, and Android 18."

Dammit! If 17 and 18 are anything like 15, then the world - maybe even the universe - was in a load of trouble. But if Cell only wanted 17 and 18, then that meant that either 15 was too strong and would override his system until he blew up, or he didn't know about her. But if he didn't know about her, Piccolo exposed such information, and 15 _wasn't_ too powerful, and only _added_ to Cell's power, then the world would be in even deeper trouble. So Piccolo _had_ to play this out terribly carefully.

_Shit... _

"However, in the timeline I origin from, these two androids no longer exist." Scowling in dismay, the android continues. "Trunks had somehow hound a way to destroy them completely, before I could even emerge. But luckily, Trunks' time machine was still intact. I killed him, brushed him away, and used his time machine to transport myself to the past."

So Cell didn't know about 15. He couldn't. She only existed in this particular timeline, right? If she had existed in that timeline then he didn't know about her there, either. Cell is the type of arrogant idiot to take on any challenge thrown his way, even after dozes upon dozens that it may be his demise. They might've been able to use that against him in the future.

Pride is the ultimate downfall of the arrogant.

Piccolo scrunches up his nose, still continuing to pry. "Why come back so far?" The absorber shrugs. "Trunks had already set the date. All I had to do was propel the correct button."

_He had found a way to defeat 'em, and he was planning to come back and tell us the news. But then this creep showed up._

"After I achieve my perfect form... I'll be the most powerful being in the universe!" Cell cackles victoriously, as if he's already won the battle.

"Yeah, and then what?!" Piccolo counters. "What're you gonna do with all that power? What's your ultimate goal, huh? Why do you want such power?! What. Is. Your. Plan?!" The namek puts emphasis on each word. Why is Cell being so reluctant to tell him?

Cell throws his head back with a laugh. "You fool!" He chuckles. "My ultimate goal? My plan? Who the hell said anything about a plan?" This throws Piccolo for a loop. Anyone who desired to be "the most powerful being in the universe" had to have some type of motive, right? What did he want? To conquer the cosmos? To enslave all planets he ran across?

"I seek power for power's sake. It is as simple as that." Cell concludes. "It's the way I was created. Or maybe it's the saiyan blood that courses through my mechanical veins."

"Alright." Piccolo decides grasping hold of the situation before him. This monster is Cell. Cell is an android created by Dr. Gero. Dr. Gero created a computer to design Cell. This computer is located in an underground bunk beneath the laboratory. Gero also created micro surveillance robots, that collect streams of data - sometimes along with it is a cell sample - and analyzes it for Gero's computer to synthesize.

Cell is made up of his own cells, Goku's cells, Vegeta's cells, Frieza's cells, and Frieza's father's cells. In order for Cell to reach his perfect form, he must absorb two highly specialized beings. These two beings are Androids 17 and 18. Cell does not know about 15, nor 16. Piccolo has to find some way to destroy the androids. To either obliterate them completely, or shut them down. That was only if Piccolo couldn't beat Cell. Which he doubted he couldn't.

_This is going to be damn near impossible._

"Good, and if you've heard enough -"

"I've heard plenty. In fact," Piccolo snickers. "I've heard everything I need to know."

Gripping his long, sickening brown, flat arm tightly, Piccolo gives a strong tug, releasing the arm of its duty - well, it had been out of commission before he'd ripped it off. He throws the useless limb to the side, and within seconds, a new one is there. Fresh, and dripping of Piccolo's bodily liquid. "Now whaddya say we get down to the real business?"

For the first time in history, Cell is speechless.

"You... You... YOU PLAYED ME! It was all a ploy to get me to talk!"

It's Piccolo's turn to laugh. "And now that I know what you are, I know how to stop you. For someone who claims to have my D.N.A. you should've known I have the power to regenerate damaged limbs."

Cell growls in turn.

"S' over, Cell. Even with all that energy you drained from my arm, you're still not even one sixth of a match for me."

Carefully, Cell slides an inch back. "You allowed me to drain you of your arm, knowing I'd lower my guard. Clever. Far more clever than I'd expect from you, Piccolo."

Piccolo grunts in turn, "Always expect the unexpected, arrogant prick. And as much as I'd like to take the credit for that, it wasn't my doing. It was Kami's."

Cell scowls. "So you've merged with Kami - I can see it now! No wonder you had gotten so strong so quickly!"

Piccolo grunts once again. "Let me show you what I can really do!" Taking precaution, Cell jumps up onto a ledge of rock above, but behind him. Lousily, he slouches, waiting for the opportunity to strike with his tail. If he could time this right, then he could absorb Piccolo before he ever had the chance to comprehend it. The absorber straightens up immediately as two new power sources come into the playing field.

* * *

The stress is beginning to crack at Krillin's whole being.

After Cell escapes - using Solar Flare to blind himself, Piccolo, and Trunks - they attempt to find him, but the damned thing decided to travel by foot, while keeping its energy hidden. And there were far too many canyons to use as cover for them to simply decide an obvious direction. It could take them days to find Cell. And the Z Fighters didn't have time for "could" and "days". When Trunks offers a retreat, and that's exactly what they do. The three needed to re-group so Piccolo could fill them in.

"C'mon, Piccolo!" Krillin demands. "What the hell just happened?!"

* * *

Cell knows that everything's going to go his way in this timeline. So long as he can keep his power hidden, and so long as he doesn't stay in one place for too long, he's good.

The only thing that'll shut him down now, is if those idiots that call themselves "Z Fighters" can create some sort of device to shut down Androids 18 and 17. But if they truly destroyed the lab as Piccolo claimed, such a device is reduced to rubble. This time, he's going to win. And nothing will stand in his way. As Vegeta flies over head, Cell thinks about the events for this timeline. And how much had _really_ changed between his own coming 4 years back, and Trunks' coming.

"Aye_ freak_," one dude shouts behind the android. "You gonna move?" Another steps up, "Or ya need us to move ya?"

* * *

When Piccolo's feet touch the ground, instead of answering Krillin's question, his anger overwhelms him, and begins to seep through.

"Damn it!" The namek screams, his rage oozing in ripples of energy flowing from his body. "I shoulda just took 'im out, instead of wasting time with questions!" His rage intensifies, his anger also escaping as screams, rippingthe namekian's throat raw.

Trunks, deciding to be the voice of reason, justifies Piccolo's somewhat failure. "Then we wouldn't have known what we were up against, Piccolo. What if he pulled another Goku, and used Solar Flare in the middle of your fight. Then he would've escaped, and we wouldn't have known what he was after."

"By the way...," Krillin tries again, scratching his head. "What _is_ that thing after?"

"Vegeta and Tien are on their way." Piccolo declares, still clenching his fists. "I really don't like repeating things twice - and thrice is simply off the table - so I'll wait until they get here."

* * *

Vegeta lands, his white boots scuffling against the brown dirt.

"Piccolo," he demands. "Tell me everything that just happened?" But in return Piccolo just shakes his head, and turns his back to the three. "Tien's almost here," he declares. "Once he's gotten here, I'll explain."

The saiyan prince crosses his arms, his heated glare turning steely. "Then answer me this," the prince tries again. "How'd you get so strong in such a short amount of time?"

The namekian continues to stay silent.

Vegeta's patience is very weary and thin, "Explain yourself!"

"He's a different person now, apparently." Trunks intervenes, before anymore blood is shed. "He and Kami merged, combining their power - effectively making Piccolo an almost different person."

Krillin doesn't know what kind of wheels are turning in Vegeta's head, and he doesn't know how oiled up they are, but simply to break the tension, the baldy points out the arrival of Tien.

"There goes Tien," the man points towards the sky. And true to the baldy's word, the superhuman is just about landing.

_Good._ Krillin thinks, _Now that everyone's here we'll get every inch of information we want._

* * *

After the settling down in the canyon of Nothing-but-Rock, Piccolo offers the lot of information he obtained, as well as his suggestions. Krillin and the rest scowl incredulously at everything that leaves the namekian's mouth.

"My... D.N.A...?" The Saiyan Prince injects slightly confused, and slightly impressed. The rest of them are just as baffled as the raven.

"_Fuck_ no." The bald one argues. "The androids can handle themselves just fine, Piccolo! We don't know how strong 17 and 18 are! What if they're stronger than 15?"

Piccolo scowls as he takes Krillin's words into account. "But what if 17 and 18 are weaker than Cell? What if 15 is too? What if Cell catches her off guard, and becomes even stronger than what he was designed to be?" They were just too many variables. Too many unknown substances to form an even close to accurate hypothesis. Or to conduct an even close to accurate experiment. They'd have to think this through thoroughly.

"I know for sure that I can take Cell down," Piccolo announces. "So just to prevent any mishaps,we'll need to find him. There's too many possibilities for me to just idly sit back and watch." The namekian's scowl deepens. There was too much going on. And there was so much fear. But Piccolo wouldn't think any less of any of them if they wanted out. "We still have a chance to stop him, before he becomes unstoppable. So are you in?" The namek goads.

Fear does strange things to people.

"Or are you out?"

* * *

**UltimateGohan42**: Gohan is 12, and Videl looks like she's 13.

**Gohan's Fury:** I've got this claustrophobic thing where hate seeing words bunched up together so I break 'em up into a new paragraph after like, 3 sentences. Did I do better in this chapter with the spacing? Personally, I believe italics can be used for more than simply emphasis. Such as song lyrics, flash backs, the character's thoughts, telepathy, ect. And the profanity... I agree. Piccolo wouldn't use profanity, however, in high stress situations sometimes people let out a word or two they normally wouldn't.

**TheLoyalMutation:** You're correct. The source of 15's powers would be her emotions. She's... Sorta like Raven from the Teen Titans comic books.

Ace Son: I'm not sure how many words... Or chapters. I feel as though that's putting a limit on my imagination. If I end up with 7,000 words in one chapter, and 2,000 in the next, then that's just the way it is.

**thedarkpokemaster:** Damn straight! But seriously, yeah. 17's gonna end up gettin' his ass whooped by 15 - and if not 15, then 18.

**Dyton:** Yeah... They're inhuman grenades. Both having the power to level cities upon cities at end.

dcp1992: I'm not sure if I want Videl to help Gohan take down Cell... I dunno, maybe. Yes, indeed. 15 and Videl are merging, however, when something brings about 15's rage, the canyon between the two deepens. And thank you for being the first reviewer of _**Chapter Seven**_.


End file.
